To have the blessing of attending college is a very unique and special opportunity.
As I sat in on a meeting for freshmen the other day during a welcoming ceremony, the administrator stated a remarkably surprising statistic. Only a very slim 1% go to college among everyone on the Earth.
That is so hard for me to grasp. I am that 1%. You can be part of that 1%.
The reason I begin this article with that stat is because I am not only so grateful to be in college, but I even get the privilege of being a Student Ambassador for my school, Missouri Baptist University. I give tours to people who want to see the campus to get a feel for it. Every time I go to work I have the pleasure of meeting eager students and their nervous, yet excited family members.
Let me humor you on why being a Student Ambassador is the best on-campus job to have.
1. You are the “knows everyone on campus” guy/gal.
In giving tours week in and out, your peers see you doing this and catch you every time. Therefore, they will see you, and approach you like they’ve known you for ten years! I’m always so confused, then they exclaim, “you’re the tour guy, Ben! I see you in the Perk every Tuesday at 10!” Which may seem creepy, but then I make a new friend. And it rocks. Even if I don’t befriend them I still feel like I know most of the people on campus.
2. Picking up on more “dad jokes”
As a tour guide, I have learned many new dad-styled jokes. These are always go-to jokes for families as they are all together.
“This is the café, they have buffet fashion meals 7 days a week. . . MBU also offers a free gym membership on campus.”
That is just one of many I carry up my sleeve for appropriate times. It is a quality I have grown so fond of. It is preparing me just little by little for a part of parenthood later down the road.
3. Meeting all the excited “Freshies”.
College is fun as a Junior still. I refuse to stop doing insane, goofy activities. However, I don’t have that same “freshman buzz” feeling. So, being a Student Ambassador is something that I can always fill that void with! Just about every tour I have, I get to meet a curious, intrigued and energized student who is about to be absorbed by an hour of college life! If that doesn’t sound like a fun thing for you, then you aren’t in college or you just don’t remember those feelings you had.
In addition to those three points, I always appreciate meeting the parents. They have good questions that stimulate my thinking. It keeps me on my toes and always reveals if I am doing a good job.
Just this past Friday and Saturday we had our annual Welcome Weekend which is when new students, freshmen, and transfers move into campus. The residents and commuters come to events on campus each day that encourage them to reach out and meet their new peers.
The best part for me was seeing people who I gave tours to last year. Many were 50/50 on if they were coming, and it was such a blessing to hear them say that they chose MBU for their education. To know that giving someone a tour helped he/she decide to call a school home for four years is such an amazing feeling.
