The university has been closed for winter break since the 24th of December and while I’ve been spending time with family and playing a lot of video games – I mean, a lot of video games – I’ve also been keeping up with one specific part of my work email.
On all the webpages on our site there’s a link at the bottom of the page that says, “Contact Us” and it points to a simple form – which, in turn, sends an email to webmaster@uakron.edu
Now, I’m not the webmaster, but I do answer his email. Through the rest of the year, the webmaster email is just one part of what I do during the regular workday. But, over the break, it’s the only task I keep up with from home.
I answer all the messages that come into that account and reply to the individuals with as much information as I can and direct them to the appropriate areas for when the university reopens.
I feel a little like a lighthouse keeper – keeping the lights burning in my tower and guiding the lost into port.
I take it seriously too. The young woman with a question might be our next freshman. The senior citizen looking for a photography class might also be a donor. And the young man worried about his grades might end up enrolling in graduate school.
A little light in the dark and a friendly voice over the waves might make the difference. And even if none of those things are true – well, it’s still a good thing to be polite.
So, I do my little part and keep up with the emails. Maybe a small thing, but worth it.