Who works on Super Bowl Sunday? Me. Not that it was by choice. I decided not to let that get me down and had a mini Super Bowl party in work with some of the students. So much food. Definitely was a lot of fun! (Until the end, that is. I’ll just pretend that the 4th quarter never happened and that the Pats won.)
Who remembers this Christmas tree from Charlie Brown?! This is apparently a favorite at BU, since I’ve already seen three or four offices with this tree. We also put one out at the IT Help Center. I love it <3 Merry Christmas!
Yesterday I got to work a super fun fifteen hour shift in work. That’s right. Fifteen hours. I was not happy about it. But then I got this email…
Those takksikabs in the sacred Alston village can be pretty tricky.
Thank you to thestudentsoldier of many miracles for this whimsical story.
How we celebrate Halloween at work. Pumpkins with mustaches filled with candy :)
This week was a very strange one for me, as the students at Boston University began to move back into their dorms. The IT Help Center had it’s employees working some pretty crazy hours, so I was exhausted by the time the weekend came around. But the hours weren’t what I found hard about this week. It was watching as all the students returned back to campus, moving into their dorms and talking about their new school schedules. It was weird to me that every day after work, I was hopping on the train back to Eastie rather than going back to my apartment in South Campus. Instead of worrying about what books I needed to buy or where my classes were going to be, I spent all day in my office answering calls of students who couldn’t figure out how to connect to the internet (“So… it says ‘Terminate’ and ‘Connect’. Which should I choose?”). Best part? They put us in uniform:
The fact that I’m not in college anymore hadn’t really sunken in before this week. I guess now I have to suck it up and accept the facts: I’m old. Wah.
Working weekends- not so much fun. But the students at the library decided to do some decorating with mustaches, which has somehow made being stuck in the office a little less painful. :)
clientsfromhellThis was actually my day today. Literally got two or three calls like this.
Me: “How can I help you today, ma’am?”
Client: “Is e-mail internet”?
Me: “I beg your pardon?”
Client: “Is e-mail on the internet? I have no internet, can I still read my e-mail?”
Me: “Well yes, you must be able to get online to view your e-mail.”
Client: “Oh, dear. I can’t see my e-mail.”
Me: “Well, let’s see. Can you open up Internet Explorer for me and tell me what you see?”
Client: “Open what?”
Me: “Your browser, can you open up your browser?”
Client: “My…my…?”
Me: “What you click on when you want to browse the internet?”
Client: “I don’t use anything, I just turn my computer on, and it’s there.”
Me: “Okay. Do you see the little blue ‘e’ icon on your desktop?”
Client: “You mean I have to start writing letters again?”
Me: “I’m…what, I’m sorry?”
Client: “I don’t have any pens at my desk. I just want my e-mail again.”
Me: “No, ma’am, your desktop, on your computer screen. Can you click on the little blue ‘e’ on your computer screen for me?”
Client: “Oh, this is too much work. I’m too upset. Just send me my e-mail. Can’t you send me my e-mail?”
Me: “We…okay, ma’am. Can you tell me what color the lights are on your router right now?”
Client: “My what?”
Me: “The little box with green or possibly a couple of red lights on it right now - it’s most likely near your computer?”Client: “Lights and boxes, boxes and lights, just get my e-mail for me.
Me: “My test is showing that you should be able to get online right now. Can you tell me what you’re seeing on your computer screen?”
Client: “It’s been the same thing for the last two hours.”
Me: “An error message?”
Client: “No, just stars. It’s black and moving stars.”
Me: “…Do you see your mouse next to your keyboard?”
Client: “Yes.”Me: “Move it for me.”
Client: “Move it?”
Me: “Yes. Move it.”
Client: “My e-mail!”
…when you realize that you not only have to be in work an hour early this week, but the next week as well. Good thing I was reminded of that before I left work today. -_-
On another semi-related note, my sister and I started our planned daily gym sessions today as we get her in shape for her upcoming soccer tryouts. I ever so kindly decided to offer up my plus-one gym membership to help her prepare. I’m sure I’ll be much happier about taking up this project at the end of the summer, but right now… ow.
This upcoming week will be filled with lack of sleep, pain, and lots of stress. Let’s hope I survive!
This is the phrase I get to repeat over and over again each day as I answer calls from people all over campus who look to me to fix their technology woes. Power trip much? Maybe. Except I’m still not sure what I’m doing.
I am only starting my third week on the job. This week is especially challenging, as it’s the same week that BU decided to roll out an entire new central online system for HR, purchasing, time entry, time approval… and just about anything else an employee at BU would like to do. The system was rolled out this past weekend, a.k.a. the worst weekend EVER. Seriously, who decided a long weekend was a good time to make the whole campus learn a new system on these crazy computer machines? (Those were one client’s words, not mine.)
It’s due to this new roll out that the IT Help Center decided it needed people coming in extra early this week, and people sitting in on the 4th of July. Guess who one of those lucky people was? ME! Woohoo! New girl gets the fun shifts.
But seriously. This week may be crazy, but all of that aside, I kind of love my job so far. I know how to do a lot of this stuff from my years at SMG IT, and I’m happy to take ANY excuse to play with computers and phones all day. Is that pathetic? Maybe I don’t want to know.
Also, on a side note, two new employees started on Friday, meaning I’m not the new girl any more! Maybe that little thought will help me get through this hectic week.
