At first, the transition from working in the TCC South Student Center to working from home had its ebbs and flows.
Once my office received notice that we would be working from home, I became quite nervous. I was not sure what working from home looked like compared to what we normally do in our day-to-day operations. Our SSTU South student center is filled with upbeat music playing from our building’s surround sound, the buzz of the community socializing, college transfer recruiters working hard to pitch the importance of their institutions offerings and sounds from our many campus activities and programs fill the building. On any given day, there is always a student to check on or a coworker to help.
I knew that the transition from the hustle and bustle in the Student Center to working in a quiet house with little to no interaction was going to take some getting used to. Working from home has had its ups and downs but most importantly, it has made a positive impact on my work relationships. Throughout the day, I can virtually interact with my colleagues in a way that many of us have not experienced before.
Being able to engage with my fellow Student Development Team – aka “Team Incredible” – via the Microsoft Teams virtual platform has been a unique and productive tool that has turned out to work very well. It has been neat to see my coworkers and their makeshift home offices or their pets hopping around in the background.
Through the virtual platform, I have been able to connect and see my coworkers more than I typically get see them on campus. However, I do miss my office. Getting to see the students’ smiling faces always brightened my day and gave me inspiration. In conclusion, I must say that throughout this COVID-19 setback, my experience working from home has made me appreciate the little things.
Brittany Story is an administrative assistant for Student Development Services on TCC South. She enjoys traveling and is a major “foodie,” who usually can be found cooking in her kitchen or spending time with her family. She currently is pursuing her graduate degree in Human Resources Management at Tarleton State University.