This past weekend was spring commencement at Coastal Carolina University. Our institution staged three ceremonies over the course of two days. I feel our social media coverage improved from prior commencements as we were able to pull off a couple things I had been shooting for since this past summer. But for once, this weekend wasn’t solely about social media strategy to me.

This weekend I had the pleasure of watching several students I grew close to walk across the stage and shake our President’s hand. These particular students happen to be people I pretty much met when I arrived at Coastal three years ago (I celebrated my anniversary on May 1). They served on my #CCUSocialMedia Student Advisory Group and we kept a line of communication open as the days, weeks, semesters, and academic years went by. It is very bittersweet to see them go. Congratulations to all.

Now summer has arrived. Well, I think it is more like “summer.” Students have now left campus. Activity on Prince Lawn will dramatically decrease. Special hours will start this week and I will get off on Fridays at 12:30 p.m. So yes, in a work sense, summer is here!! However, summer doesn’t really start for me in my mind until June rolls around, Sidney’s school year ends, and it starts staying light out past 9 p.m.

But that doesn’t mean I am not going to enjoy the rest of May. It will be extremely nice to have a few weeks at work to recharge, get caught up, and evaluate the past academic year. Outside of the office I get to use the rest of this month to watch Sidney enjoy the remainder of her maternity leave, witness Sloan continue to do one cute thing after the other, catch some baseball games, and enjoy Myrtle Beach before it becomes outright tourist season very soon.

A new phase has definitely started as of 10 a.m. yesterday. Time to ease into it and enjoy it.  This is the calm before the storm as the meat of the summer, June and July, will be action packed months for the Reser family. Don’t Blink.