Nice to Meet You!

Hello, and welcome to my blog! After this entry, my posts will be about life in the Union Street Center, but first I want to introduce myself. My name is Ashley Nichols and I am from a small town called Russellville, Ind. I’m an Indiana University senior studying Journalism and Public Relations. I’ve been quite the busy bee since I came to IU in 2007. I have worked as an Orientation Leader, a teaching assistant and an office assistant at the Disability Services for Students Office. In my (limited) spare time, I have been a member of everything from the IU Marching Hundred and the Big Red Basketball Band to the Auditorium Usher Corps to the Swing Dance Club (just to name a few). While at IU, I have also had a number of incredible experiences that included traveling to Japan during my 2010 Spring Break and learning to scuba dive.

Being an IU student also helped me discover another wonderful opportunity. I spent this past summer living in Orlando, Fla. working as an intern for SeaWorld. I lived and worked with other college students my own age and spent my summer working in the photography department. I started out as a sales clerk, but by the end of the summer I had become a photographer who took photos of the SeaWorld shows for guests and publications. When I wasn’t busy working, I took a number of behind-the-scenes tours and leadership classes that were offered exclusively to interns. Working as a SeaWorld employee was one of the best employment experiences that I have ever had, and not just because of the work experience!

As a seasonal employee, I was not offered any health benefits or things of the sort. I was, however, offered something FAR more valuable to a young lady my age: free theme park tickets.

I took day trips to visit Shamu at SeaWorld, went to Aquatica (a water park) during my lazy Sundays, swam with the sting rays at Discovery Cove, rode the Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit roller coaster at Universal Studios in the morning before my night shifts and went on evening dates to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal’s Islands of Adventure. My friend Brian and I also spent a good portion of our paychecks on Disney World tickets. We managed to make our way through all of the parks, and even managed to get to three parks in only eight hours. Talk about a summer of adventure!

I've only been back in Indiana for two weeks and I admit that readjusting to college life has been a little difficult. I did, after all, just return from a three month vacation. Nonetheless, I am glad to be back and Bloomington and getting ready to begin my senior year here at school. The experience has been a promising one so far: being reunited with friends and family and moving into the Union Street Center have all made returning to the Midwest a welcome change from the hustle and bustle of Orlando life. I miss SeaWorld and Florida dearly, but it's time to get back to business!