Maple 4 Dinosaurs

Last week I got my actual team for the year, and let me just say right off the bat that they are amazing. There are 10 of us total, split equally between guys and gals. We arrived from opposite ends of the country (Oregon to Miami), with very different backgrounds, our ages ranging from 18 to 26. Some things we all have in common are the desire to serve, “get things done” as the NCCC pledge states, and have fun. Together, we form Maple 4, in my opinion the best team on campus! My evidence:

• They’ve already deemed themselves the “Maple 4 (that's our unit and team number) Dinosaurs.”
• We have a bangin’ logo:
• Our cheer:
Maple 4, Dinosaur! Maple 4, Hear us roar! RAARRR!
• During breaks in trainings they like to run outside in the cold and do jumping jacks to stay awake. There is also dancing/singing involved in everyday activities like the eating of Wheat Thins and hummus.
• Although we all came in with some hesitations about cooking, all members of the team are now pitching in to brainstorm meal ideas and cook dishes from scratch like the amazing baked macaroni and cheese we had last night.
• And most importantly, during this crazy period we’re currently in called Corps Member Training Institute (CTI), they’re enthusiastic - and patient!

The last two weeks have been insane for me, and enthusiasm is definitely appreciated right now. It can be hard to remember what’s what when you’re acting as a supervisor, coach, scheduler, chef, custodian, chauffeur, entertainment coordinator, accountant, personal trainer, paper-pusher, disciplinarian & counselor. Looking at the big picture, it’s sometimes hard to remember all the little details, and although I feel that Team Leader Training prepared me to be both confident and competent in my position, I can’t help but stress when some of the smaller details seem to be slipping out of my noggin. I'm dealing with this by making lists up the whazoo. And delegating tasks and roles for the year (like PT Guru, Media Rep, and Peer Helper) to my team members. It’s helped , but I still feel like I’m running around like a chicken with my head cut off part of the time. The rest of the time when I’m on my game, organized and rolling with my team’s enthusiasm, I am reminded that this training only lasts a couple more weeks and then we’ll be out in the field, getting down and dirty with some direct service projects and making a difference for America. I am so pumped you have no idea.