Another call, another day as they say in the Phonathon world. I have never had the privilege of living in a house that used an answering machine. After listening to about one hundred machines I have experienced more styles of being able to answer ones phone without actually being home than I had ever imagined possible before. I really get a kick from the ones that are full-length feature radio programs-starring all 4 kids, mom, dad, and the pet dog. Who could have imagined that creating a simple message to receive a message could be so complicated? Not I. Another call, another day.
I enjoy working for Phonathon because in addition to paying for college, and meeting great people - I also get to share my own story and have a quality conversation with our alumni and parents; something that is truly original with Phonathon. The thing that makes it all the more enjoyable is the fact that I can be myself on the phone and share my own experiences from Messiah and compare them with alumni and even get tidbits of advice from them as well, which is always a kicker.
My experience at Phonathon has also begun to leak into my own life outside of the calling center. I find myself answering phones more professionally, or even thinking about asking my friends if they’d consider giving to the college this year - of course we can break that down into as many as four installments and even delay that gift up to three months-wait, what am I doing?
It’s addicting, and it’s a blast. Many times, Phonathon doesn’t seem like “work” but rather a time for me to talk to people all across the country about how great their college is and tell them my story, plans, and goals for the future. That’s why I’m here, to get the most out of my experience at Messiah College-something that wouldn’t be possible without help from the student impact fund. Another call, another day.