Another year...

I took this photo at the end of last year's fall semester.

My office at Trine is just how I left it except for the missing plants I took home. I unlocked the door this morning, and everything is exactly as it should be. Well, the twinkle lights burned out over the summer but never fear as I have a new box of lights in my satchel.

My new office was built for me early last winter. I truthfully didn’t think it would be possible to redo the room behind the stage in Taylor Hall. It was a catchall room with loads of theatre props and clothing, rusty old sinks still attached to the wall, stained floors and walls, no heat or fiber optics. In fact, you really couldn’t even walk through the room.

After the autumn show closed, Dr. Hopp, Joanna Claudy, and me rolled up our sleeves and cleaned up all the debris. Some things went to our storage unit, other things went to the dumpster, and still others? I have no idea. I do know everything ended up missing. The workers came in with gusto replacing ceiling tiles, laying carpet, painting walls, running fiber optics, and even washing the three huge floor to ceiling windows. (I never saw the windows before as they were all closed. I have had the best time decorating and planning this new space attached to my favorite place on campus, except for the Furth Center.

I unlock the door and everything is good. My teapot is waiting, the empty tin is waiting for the cookies, the chalkboard has been redone announcing the auditions for the fall play. I plug in my laptop, and I think I will get to work. I was wrong. The minute I sit at my desk, the students begin coming in one at a time. Of course, I could have shut my door, but that would not have been any fun at all! I love seeing them. Most of them are bright and shiny after a summer of jobs and internships and travel. Some are not so shiny and need to talk about various subjects. (As you know teachers need to be ready to listen at all times.) I am more than happy to become a sounding board for those students.

We drink tea. We eat cookies. We wish each other a good semester and off they go before a new batch comes in. Of course, my theatre students are different. I will see them almost every day during the course of this semester. They are excited about the fall play and some even borrow the bright and unused scripts that are sitting on my desk. No problem for me as they like to peruse the show, maybe learn a line or two or choose a character that they love. I am just happy so many are back and want to be involved. There are new freshman theatre students too, and I am delighted to bring them aboard.

It seems like only yesterday we closed our last show, “The Somewhat True Tale of Robin Hood.” But here we are with auditions just two weeks away. If you are curious about our new show, and you definitely should be, come find us during Trine Fest. We will be at our table blowing the bubbles. We will hand out the title of our show along with a card with the save the date!

So, we are back. The students are here. I love that they are back. I missed them. I also feel they bring so much energy back to our town. We are not exactly a college town, although we keep trying to bridge the gap between the university and the town. I think we are doing a great job with this. I want our students out and about in the town…having dinner, watching movies, photographing Miss Columbia. I want them to feel a part of us, and I want for us to feel a part of these terrific students.

Yes, I am back for another year. Every year I think to myself, will this be the last year for me? But I manage to say “yes” and keep the fire burning. I love it too much to leave. I love our students also.

So, come on out to Trine Fest this Saturday. Enjoy these students Stop on by our table to see what show we will be doing and stay and chat for a while. The students aren’t that scary!! See you there.

Cheers to a great year at Trine.