Age: 21

Major: Physical education

Occupaton: Student manager, Neptune Main Desk

Years with Main Desk: Two; this is my first full year as a manager.

What does your job entail?

I’m in charge of getting change and helping with the problems the desk workers come across. I do the mail, help with the hiring, the basic funcitons of the desk. I work some shifts, I do meal ticket reports, time cards, refunds.

What do you like most about your job?

I like most dealing with the peoople that I work with at the desk. It’s interesting to get to know them. I’ve gotten a lot closer to people I wouldn’t have if I didn’t work at the desk. You get to meet a lot of people who live in Neptune.

What do you like least about your job?

I don’t like the early morning hours. I have to open up the desk between 6:30 and 7 a.m. and then work a shift from 7 to 9, and I really hate that—its just too early.

Do you have a favorite on-the-job anecdote?

A lot of stuff happens. We get goofy calls. In general, the residents’ reactions to some of our policies are interesting. We have signs up all over the place like, “We can not accept $20 bills.” They get irate, and we laugh about that. It’s like an inside thing. It’s kind of funny when they get like that.

Why did you choose this job?

I thought that the people at the main desk were really nice, and I needed a job to help pay for various school expenses, so I first worked as a desk worker. I started last April (as a desk manager) because they were missing someone. I saw it as an opportunity to advance myself.

I spend less time acutally sitting at the desk (as a manager), and I knew I would be doing that, and I thought I’d like that.

How does your job benefit NIU students?

A lot of times we’re the first people the residents see when they come to the residence halls. We’re a smiling face, someone to answer questions, take care of requests. We give tours. We try to give suggstions to our office manager and Margaret (area coordinator). I think it’s a big help—it helped me when I first came here.