As the Thanksgiving season approaches, I cannot help but think about those things for which I am thankful. There are the obvious things that I am always grateful for, like my family, friends, and health. Then there are the less noticeable things in my life that I am thankful for, like the opportunity to experience work and life at two college campuses during my time in graduate school. Currently, I am a first-year master’s student in the Higher Education Administration program at NC State; I also hold a graduate assistantship at Duke University. At Duke, I am the Devils After Dark Coordinator for the East Campus Housing, Dining, and Residence Life office. I help to program weekend and late night activities for first-year students. North Carolina has many fine higher education institutions, and I am lucky to go to school and work at two of the most prominent universities in this state.

Back in August, I did not feel as thankful to be having two separate experiences. First off, I am fairly directionally-challenged. Not only did I have to learn how to get around two different campuses and cities, I had to learn how to get from home to work to school to back home. On the way to my first graduate school class, I got quite lost on NC State’s campus and ended up running down Hillsborough Street so I would not be too late. I also had trouble learning the traditions, quirks, and colloquial language of each campus. Students at Duke would talk to me about house benches, SLGs, or eating at ABP. At NC State, peers were talking about Packapalooza and the Free Expression Tunnel. Needless to say, I was struggling to adapt to campus culture and traditions as well as a new work environment and course load.

Fast forward a few months and things are quite different. Although it took a transition period of a month or two, I finally began to feel like I belonged on both campuses. At work, I felt more established as a member of the team. I mastered my weekly routine of planning, promoting, and running programs. Twenty-five miles down the road, I was beginning to form friendships with people in my cohort. I felt more comfortable participating in class, and I was getting to know the professors in the department. I was becoming more aware of campus-specific acronyms and traditions. NC State and Duke finally felt like home.

In the beginning, it felt like I was juggling two campus experiences at once. Now, I embrace the fact that I get to be involved on two college campuses and integrate those experiences with my personal and professional goals. I get to see how the theories we learn in class play out on two college campuses. I get to build relationships and connections at two prominent universities. I get to root for two football teams!

Lizzy Heurich is a first year master’s student in the Higher Education Administration program. She is currently serving as the Devils After Dark Coordinator for East Campus Housing, Dining, and Residential Life at Duke University. She is also the Associate Vice President for Engagement for the Higher Education Association at NC State.