The preparations have been made! Now we begin....

It's LABOR DAY 2012 and I'm out in the blazing heat to visit my first school University of Texas at Dallas. I realize that it was closed but I thought if NOTHING else I would at least get a good idea of the layout of the campus and then go back when they were open. According to my friend who is a physical therapist, they have done a lot of new construction and it shows! This campus is absolutely beautiful! As you come in from the south off of Campbell you are met by the athletic fields and then a mall of  fountains that lead you to the actual campus itself. 

Mall of fountains...pretty neat...very nice ambiance

A really cool thing they have by the bookstore is this outdoor fan and TRUST ME when I tell you it doesn't matter WHERE the breeze is coming from, as long as there is a breeze somewhere....anywhere....that's where I will be standing! 

Structure built around the fantastic fan outside of the UTD bookstore

actual fantastic fan outside of the UTD bookstore

So as I anticipated the bookstore was closed....boooo! Oh well, so I kept walking and found the Student Union! Yes!!!! Success! It WAS open and as I walked through the first floor I found where they have a radio station, television station etc as well as their Fraternity meeting rooms (I am assuming this). As you keep walking that hallway leads to a game room with pool tables, video games etc. It's pretty sweet! I posted some flyers for Lily's list on their boards and left some smaller advertisements on the tables. Upstairs however is where I REALLY hit the jackpot because that is where there is a place for students to study and eat! I put advertisements on every single table! I also was able to post on several boards as well! Yipee! Not only that but students were also studying...I was hoping that someone would say "What is this?" but unfortunately it didn't happen....darn!

Outside of the UTD student Union

This is a picture of the outside of the Student Union. I took it when I got locked out...DOH! Don't worry...I didn't need back in....I actually found some areas outside of the building where I could  post more flyers. They were general notification areas....I actually found somethings that I might like to try to do! They had different concerts, seminars etc....college campuses are NOT just for students! I think the public at large could benefit from some of the things they offer there. One kid posted a flyer to "fix my computer" for REALLY CHEAP! I'm thinking I'm visiting college campuses more often......I digress...."let us move forward...shall we...." LOL

UTD heavenly mister from God Almighty!

This is a picture of the most INCREDIBLE MISTER I HAVE EVER SEEN! Seriously....it's fantastic...especially when it's 99 degrees outside, the sun is bearing down on you like a Dallas driver in the rear view, and you feel like the wicked witch of the west "I'm melting, I'm melting." 

After attempting to cool off at the beautiful mister...I attempted to get into the library, however that was also closed....kind of made me sad ....so I started back toward my car. Just on a hunch though I walked over to the "School of Management." I was lucky enough to be let in by a very sweet student diligently studying (I'm assuming) out of hell's kitchen and into the air conditioning! YES!

Very cool welcoming balloons...Maybe I can try to  find a Pinterest DIY for this little structure....maybe not...moving on.

An official flyer...beckoning students in debt to help themselves out by signing up for Lily's List!

A close up of said flyer.... :-)

This school of management actually was pretty awesome! It kind of made me want to go back to school! ....only a little though.... I was also able to post up flyers on several boards they had there too!

After this I ventured over to the dormitories where I was met with a front desk at each place stating that I MUST leave my flyers at the desk and that they MUST be approved by "whomever." Which is understandable and kudos to all those diligent students for doing what they had been told to do. So I left flyers at the desks and prayed that they will make it onto their notification boards. 

About three hours later....yes three......I was out of places to put up flyers....here is my prayer....I pray that the people who NEED to see these the most WILL in fact see them and utilize this website to help themselves out of debt! An education is a BEAUTIFUL thing and we should never be afraid to INVEST in ourselves or our future....but on the other side of that we must also be diligent to pay back those who helped us along the way because it's the right thing to do, it helps our economy, and it helps others to get their education as well. 

Now I'm attempting to figure out where to go next....Did you know there are over 65 colleges, universities, and technical colleges in the DFW area alone? How many colleges are in your area? Do you think anyone could benefit from knowing about Lily's List.

Final Thought (NOT like Jerry Springer): You may be asking yourself...are you getting paid to do this? Absolutely not...the owners of Lily's List do NOT pay me to go out to these colleges and do this. I am doing this because it's something I feel LED to do....I think that when you help others, you not only feel good about yourself but I feel like the more people who know about this website, the more it will help the students trying to do the "Student/Business Partnerships." Meaning that the businesses will be more likely to want to advertise on a website where a lot of people go! That my friends will help EVERYONE connected to Lily's List! Will it also help me....I hope so....but if it doesn't I'm not going to be bitter or feel as if I wasted my time. I will actually feel really proud that I at least tried everything I could to not only help Lily's List, but to help other students/people who are in the same boat I am! You never know what is going to change your life....you never know when something will come along that you have a passion for....it's recognizing those opportunities and seizing them!