Reflections & Reading Days
It seems like just yesterday that I was sharing all of my adventures from my first Travel Season with you, and now here I am, embarking on the last cycle of my first Reading Season. Looking back to a few months ago, I’ve been tending to chuckle to myself and well, at myself lately. In September, I was out conquering the New Jersey Turnpike for the first time and struggling with my GPS to find a Starbucks in-between visits, frustrated beyond belief because I had yet to own an iPhone. I was sure a rookie if I’d ever seen one. Did I really know what I was doing?
Well the answer is – No and at the same time – Yes. I was like a bird leaving the nest for the first time and sometimes I would struggle to get those wings of mine working… convincing myself I only needed one room key which I locked in my room, or my favorite, ordering dinner and then realizing there was two of the same restaurant with the very same name (duh!) and yes, I ordered from one and managed to show up at the other instead. In reality, I could have just ordered from next door, but no Hannah, you had to have that buffalo chicken salad…which you never got. In situations like these and many others, I was as beginner as they come. I had also never been through a Reading Season before. So here I was, visiting all of these high schools, speaking with all of these students and well, I’d yet to have the experiences I needed in order to fully understand the process. I had Babson, I knew Babson… but I’m starting to truly “get it” now. At the time, the reading experience was looming around the corner and here I am now, in the full brunt of blizzard. Good thing I love the snow…
Reading Days in Admission are a beloved pastime, unbeknown to many outside of the Admission bubble. Reading Days are dedicated to YOU, the applicant, and many others in your very same shoes who are eager to call Babson their new home. So what exactly do we do on Reading Days? Here’s my routine:
I prefer to read from the comforts of my home. I awake as if it is a normal day in the office, but no long commute (great perk!). I simply throw on my favorite pair of Old Navy sweatpants and head downstairs. It is so great to be able to lounge while reading. I find that I’m more productive, as there is only my cat Molly to interact with and chances are she’s asleep upstairs for the next eight hours.
Molly!
Occasionally she will come down stairs, meow for food, sit by me for a while and retreat. What a life! Me on the other hand, I try to get myself in the “zone,” by camping myself at my work station, a.k.a. The Breakfast Bar. I also set mini-goals which encompass mini-rewards. For example, read 5 files…eat breakfast…read 5 files…check my phone…read 10 files…complete a quick workout…read 10 files…have lunch. The list goes on. There’s always a lot of snacking involved, hence why I stay close to the kitchen. Not all of the mini-rewards are necessarily fun, but just serve as a quick distraction to refresh the mind.
The Sacred Spot
Anyway, back to the reading! Reading Days provide full days to completely immerse myself in reading applications. At the office, I find it hard to get through more than a few in a day because I get pulled into interviews or onto different projects. Overall, the best part about reading is learning! I cannot express to you how much I love learning about YOU, the applicant and all of the incredible experiences you’ve had in your high school careers. With ED and EA reading under my belt, there are already so many things I would love to do if I were to re-do high school again.
Bottom Line: I learn new things every day, I love what I do and I care about YOU, the applicant.
Happy New Year and as always, I’m here to help!