So as you may recall, I recently had to stop working at my job in the sociology lab because I am no longer a student (graduation will do that to you...). The same thing was supposed to happen for my other job in the chemistry department. Fortunately, my boss was able to extend my work period for an extra week since she was going to be out of town. This was really great because I got to work a solid 40 hours for my last week at my favorite job ever. I loved working in sociology and I made some fantastic friends, but my job in chemistry was work that I really loved to do.
I'll admit it, I love being a secretary. It has taken me a long time to figure out what exactly it is that I love so much about it, but over the past year or so I think I've finally started to figure it out. You see, as a secretary, I do a lot of work to make it so other people essentially "look good". Among about a million other things, I get all the copies ready, I type a lot of documents, I proofread tests, I run last-minute errands, and I keep things looking professional and ready at all times. The professors in that department turn to me in order to get a job done and I made them look good. I don't like being the important one, the one who has to have all the responsibility of being a chemist and writing articles and teaching students; I like being the one who stays in the background, but without whom those professors would have a very hard time and wouldn't look nearly as awesome.
I don't know what exactly it is, because obviously they could totally survive without me, but I know that they really appreciate what I do. And I really like being appreciated for a job well done. Although there are some professors who are less grateful than others, I still know that what I'm doing is helping them out and that alone is enough to make me feel good about myself. I don't know, I just love being a secretary. Plus bonus feature: it's a very social job, and I supes like being social.
But unfortunately, that job had to come to an end as well. And as pathetic as it sounds, my little heart was hurting those last few days because I have come to love that Benson building and the people in it more than I ever thought I would. I never ever wanted to leave and everyone knew it. That last day was pretty great, but it was also the pits, yo. Like for serious the PITS. I've said it before and I'll say it again: I'm terrible at change. I have a hard time accepting that some things will never be the same and that even though that might be okay someday, it's not okay right now. It hurts. It hurts bad.
But then those chemistry professors outdid themselves. They have always been really appreciative of the work I do for them, but they were so extra appreciative of me that last week and especially that last day. Almost all of them made sure to tell me how grateful they were for me and how I was such a constant in the department that they were hoping I would never leave. They thanked me for all my work and for all the times I saved them by doing last-minute things. They thanked me for my humor and the fact that apparently I wasn't just a lame old bump on a log and that I would actually be friends with them. And dang it, they were my friends! I mean, obviously none of them were my dad or mom, but they played fatherly and motherly roles in my life as they asked me life and what exciting things I had done lately. A lot of them would joke with me all the time; many of them gave me really good advice for life.
And all the amazingness that come from these professors can't even match the friendship I had with my boss. I'm not even kidding when I say she is the best boss the world has ever known. She is literally (not a joke) one of the nicest and kindest and most giving and caring and helpful and selfless people I have ever met and will ever meet. She was always so supportive of any new ideas I had and was always so nice even when I made a mistake. And more than that, she was my friend. She knows so much about me. She didn't have to take the time to learn about what I study and what I care about and my friends, but she did. And she did it because she wanted to. I mean, seriously. She was and is my friend and I am so grateful for her.
Every day was a new adventure in that department. Every day I would get to do something new, go somewhere in the building that had been previously unexplored. Every day I would hear or tell a new joke and I would build some really great friendships. It hurt pretty bad to leave that place. It is hands down the building where I spent the most time during my college career and I'm not even mad about it. In fact, I wouldn't have it any other way.
Chemistry and I have some serious chemistry, I'll tell you what.
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