As a campus tour guide, I can tell you that there is no better feeling than showing potential students our great college and having those same students choose our college after the tour. It is a rewarding experience, but not one without a few struggles.
Here are 21 stages of giving a campus tour:
1. The Nervous Excitement You Feel Waiting for the Tour Group
You hope they like the school, and you repeat your tour facts over and over again in your head!
2. Praying You Don't Get a Bad Group
Or even worse, a bad chaperone.
3. Loving Your Tour Guide Partner(s)
Y'all are like the Beyonce and Jay-Z of giving tours.
4. Delivering Your Well-Crafted Introduction
Why yes, I did practice that ten different times this semester before getting this fabulous final product.
5. The Awesome Moment when a Student Says "This is my top choice!"
YOU are my favorite person on this tour.
6. The Awful Moment when Someone says "[insert rival school] is better."
Oh, you'll show them how wrong they are.
7. Concentrating on not Falling as You Walk Backwards
You know campus like the back of your hand ... but when did they put that step there?
8. The Cringeworthy Moment when Something Inappropriate is Happening in The Quad
WHY DID NO ONE TELL ME ABOUT THE ABORTION PROTEST? BROTHER JED IS BACK?!
9. When You Get Way too Excited to Talk about Your Favorite Part of Campus
Let me tell you why this is the BEST part of campus!
10. The Sadness You Feel When No One Has Any Questions
You can literally hear crickets chirping.
11. Fighting the Urge to Roll Your Eyes when Someone Asks "Where are the parties?"
Or when they ask where to pick up hot people. We're here to learn about campus, not find your Tinder match at a frat party.
12. The Pride you Feel When the Students are Impressed with the Campus
You just walk a little bit taller and look at everything with more appreciation when the students like campus.
13. Teaching the Tour Group the School Hand Signs
EAT EM UP, EAT EM UP! GO CATS GO!
14. The Awkward Moment When No One Laughs at Your Jokes
Well, at least you and the chaperone thought it was hilarious.
15. The Moment You Realize You're Starting to Sweat
Curse this Texas heat!
16. Bragging about Famous Alumni
Did you know Texas State is the only university in Texas to graduate a U.S. president? That's right, President Lyndon B. Johnson.
17. When Your Friend(s) See you Giving a Tour and Make you Look Cool
They become like a mini-entourage or hype man!
18. The Moment Your Tour Starts to Get Tired
No! There are still two more stops, stay with me!
19. The Panic of Going Over Tour Time
You're so going to get chewed out for this.
20. The Gratification and Joy You Feel When Students Decided to Come to Your College
You are a major reason that they just chose to pick your school; that is an amazing feeling.
21. Your Tour Leaves, and You Can't Wait for the Next One
Let's change some more lives!
