TOURS!!!

My FIRST tour!

So today I gave my first tour.  Now don’t get me wrong, I have given a few tours with other tour guides, but for the first time there was no one there if I stumbled or lost my train of thought.

Tours truly make an impact on prospective students, and what if I did a bad job?  These students wouldn’t want to come here and it would be ALL MY FAULT!  What would I do if I couldn’t think of anything to talk about??? Silence on a tour is like a death sentence, but who would be there to save me???

These were the thoughts I had in my head right before leaving the admission office with my group.  When I started, my legs felt like lead, and my abilities at walking backwards were not their best.  After one or two (three to be exact) stumbles before getting to the Wren Building (a mere minute walk from the Admissions Office), I finally was ‘in-the-zone’-no more worrying, no anxiety, nothing; nothing but me, my group, and the College.

I had no problems whatsoever.  I realized on this tour, that it wasn’t a big deal at all.  A tour is not a big ceremony or event, but simply a conversation.  My role is only to talk with prospective students about the College, as well as my own perceptions and experiences here.  Convey not only the facts and figures of this college, but also the College that I have come to know throughout my time here.  I have had this conversation so many times, so why should a tour be any different.

After this realization, and this first tour, I no longer have any anxiety or nerves when even thinking about tours (a sharp contrast from what I felt before).  I am now very much excited about the prospect of giving tours, and cannot wait to show prospective students the College that I love so dearly.

Sorry if my blogs are not ‘up to par’ with other student bloggers, I’m still getting used to it.

Signing Off,

JB