So it all started a week ago when I got this email that our law school was having a "benefactor's lunch." Basically, it said my donor was attending, and if at all possible I should attend and meet him. Even though it's a week away, I'm completely terrified the moment I read this thing. I'm worried he'll ask me all these questions and not be satisfied with my answers, that I'll thank him but won't come across as sincere, etc. But my counselor says we can have a couple meetings before hand to work out answers, etc. and I decide to RSVP.
The night before this thing, I have this huge paper I have to finish by 1:00 the day of the lunch. I stay up all night finishing this thing, and am literally printing it out right on time to go home and get dressed, and the damn printer isn't working! By the time I finally get it printed out, I'm running 15 minutes late. I'm headed for my car, but then I worry (probably irrationally) that I might need to get this card with my donor's name in case nobody tells me who he is. By now I feel horribly out-of-breath and my hands are shaking, and I'm at my carrel virtually throwing stuff onto the floor trying to dig around and find this thing.
When I finally get there, I'm half an hour late and feel so bad about it that I can't work up the nerve to go inside. However, I make up my mind to do whatever it takes to resolve this all professionally, even if it means calling him to apologize or offering to meet one-on-one. I go look for the Dean of Student Services (who I was afraid of before yesterday) and the first three times she isn't in her office. I convince myself to check one last time, by now comfortable in the thought she wouldn't be there anyway.
She's there the last time and I get a sudden wave of anxiety, but somehow I manage to sit down, calmly and confidently look her in the eyes and tell her what went wrong and ask her what I needed to do. She says we basically just need to send him a card, and takes me to this other office to get his address. We get there, and the people in that office say we don't need to worry because the donor didn't show up either!
Even though this story was partially a failure, I was proud of myself for finding the inner resources to ultimately resolve it in a calm and professional manner.
The night before this thing, I have this huge paper I have to finish by 1:00 the day of the lunch. I stay up all night finishing this thing, and am literally printing it out right on time to go home and get dressed, and the damn printer isn't working! By the time I finally get it printed out, I'm running 15 minutes late. I'm headed for my car, but then I worry (probably irrationally) that I might need to get this card with my donor's name in case nobody tells me who he is. By now I feel horribly out-of-breath and my hands are shaking, and I'm at my carrel virtually throwing stuff onto the floor trying to dig around and find this thing.
When I finally get there, I'm half an hour late and feel so bad about it that I can't work up the nerve to go inside. However, I make up my mind to do whatever it takes to resolve this all professionally, even if it means calling him to apologize or offering to meet one-on-one. I go look for the Dean of Student Services (who I was afraid of before yesterday) and the first three times she isn't in her office. I convince myself to check one last time, by now comfortable in the thought she wouldn't be there anyway.
She's there the last time and I get a sudden wave of anxiety, but somehow I manage to sit down, calmly and confidently look her in the eyes and tell her what went wrong and ask her what I needed to do. She says we basically just need to send him a card, and takes me to this other office to get his address. We get there, and the people in that office say we don't need to worry because the donor didn't show up either!
Even though this story was partially a failure, I was proud of myself for finding the inner resources to ultimately resolve it in a calm and professional manner.
