Maine Day...pride?

Today is 'Maine Day' at the University of Maine. The event is in it's 76th year, and what was originally established as a campus clean-up day has grown into a full day of events for students, faculty and staff to participate in. There's a parade, campus-wide clean up event, various other service projects, a large b-b-q, games, you get the idea. Classes are cancelled, and folks are encouraged to participate in events and to beam with UMaine pride.

I'm not familiar with the UMaine community. Sure, I've been working here 2 1/2 years, but campus has always been very overwhelming to me. I attended college in a place 1/20 it's size. (yeah, THAT small) I arrived here and fell into this CITY - with people everyone, offices everywhere, unfamiliar places at every turn. It was intimidating. I didn't know anyone, and I wasn't used to co-existing in a place with so many unfamiliar people.

So, since I've been here, I've largely kept to myself. Sure, I go to work, walk to the Union once in awhile to grab a bite to eat, but that's about it. I haven't 'connected' with this community.

A few weeks ago one of my co-workers received a top secret email. After conferring with the sender, she shared with me the contents - some people on campus were preparing a surprise 'flash mob' dance to take place on Maine Day. My co-worker asked me if I wanted to participate. Well, of course! (being in a flash mob is actually on my bucket list!) So, we started attending rehearsals, some in the middle of the night - and drove the 30 min. back to campus to learn our moves in preparation for the big day. Largely, the group was comprised of students, with a staff member thrown in here and there. I was so excited to be a part of it, and the energy from these students was contagious. It reminded me of my own campus, (UMaine-Machias) and the community there, the connectedness. For the first time in 2 1/2 years, I felt like I was in the right place sharing this experience with these students. I was finally a PART of their community, and not just an outsider.

So, today I showed up for work. As soon as I entered the building, I realized that I was, once again - an outsider. I had dressed in my favorite UMaine shirt, and jeans - appropriate for the day's events. (and, in both the prior years I've been here, our staff has been encouraged to wear UMaine clothing in support of the day) Well, I was the only one. The rest of the staff were wearing their regular business clothes, and here I was - the only one in UMaine garb. (dress code rules here are heightened to the level of terrorist activity - green = low risk, yellow = significant, red = time to hit the bunker) It's was terrorist 'red' here this morning. I was given a thorough head to toe stare by one staff member, and a gasp of 'JEANS?!?' before I was even here an hour. That's the spirit.

I was completely deflated. Now, you should know that I dressed in a full Easter Bunny costume last Friday, and no one seemed to have a problem with that, but - on our campus's day of celebration GOD FORBID I show a little campus pride. Here's the Easter bunny photo:



My office attire last Friday

But, shame on me - I let this get to me today. It upset me. I should have marched around my office and displayed my UMaine shirt with PRIDE, not hid away in my office for fear of reprimand.

I made my way to the field house (rain location) today by myself. I stood in the unsuspecting crowd, and waited for my cue, jumping into the dance at just the right time. I didn't know one face in that crowd, (well, except you, Kathy! Thanks for being there at just the right moment!) but I spun around, whirled, smiled, clapped and saw smiles spread across the faces of strangers. I joined 100 other students today, as part of their group, as part of their community, and I helped them pull off a flash mob dance. Here it is: (scroll to 3 minutes in...the first 3 minutes are just the crowd mingling...)

So, while I don't understand my immediate surroundings, and I probably never will - I saw a glimmer of hope outside my office walls today, and it felt good. This isn't 'home' and it never will be, but there's a good bunch of people on this campus who are proud to be a part of this community. It's a familiar feeling, and one I haven't felt in a long time. So, for what it's worth - Goooooooooooo, MAINE!

(don't worry, Downeasters - UMaine, Machias will always be my #1)