Logistics and Administrative work. Logistics is the delivery of the required goods, at required place, at required time, in required state and to the required person…efficiently.”
When I first became editor-in-chief of The Munch, I had no real idea of what kind of work would come along with the title. Especially since I had no previous reference manual or editor to speak with. And if finding enough people to put together a newsletter wasn’t work enough, it’d be a meaningless task unless I found an audience to distribute to. So there, in my Centreville dorm, I was faced with my first big problem; an ignorance to the importance of logistics.
Professor Nansi, a 21-year TATA consultant described logistics, saying,
And that what our one biggest problem? It sounded more like one word that encompassed the whole plethora of all our problems. I needed writers– I needed topics! I needed to learn new programs well enough to teach them and I really needed manpower to brainstorm future plans for The Munch; students and Staff alike.
Although we’ve finally accomplished a semester-long string of steady, weekly articles, we are still faced with logistical problems every day. It could be as simple as finding out who is writing what article this week, and when I will have it. And it could be as difficult as learning that our website launch (which we hoped would be this semester) won’t be ready until next year, and not on account of us.
Oh, Logistics. It’s kind of similar to a group project. Everyone needs to find an agreeable time to meet, come prepared with the appropriate accessories-mental or physical, and have the ability to work side by side in an uncontrolled environment to produce results by presentation day to the teacher. Whoa.
Some things are out of your control in life, like another person’s competence, for instance. However, most problems can be controlled if you take the time to research and brainstorm in order to organize an effective implementation of an idea.
So, next year, I promise a continuation of Newsletters weekly, a website that is up-to-date, and a more prominent presence in Van Munching. If you’d like to be a part of the Smith School’s very first Newsletter/soon to be Newspaper (look at me with my lofty goals), then e-mail me, Kirsten Chen, at
themunchnews@gmail.com
Editor-in-Chief, Kirsten Chen