Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Mandated Life Reflection

In the interest of full disclosure, this update is required for one of my classes. I'm not much for public internet musings, it turns out. The only place I'm consistently loud on social networks is my sisters' facebook walls, when all caps is usually required, somehow. But because this is for grad school, here is my mini reflection on the first 6 weeks of it.

Pros:

  • There are lots of smart people around who say smart things. They are usually funny too, so commiserating is improved by levity. 
  • Teaching freshmen writing is an excellent reminder that: a) actually I learned a lot in college; b) actually I would way, way, way rather be 23 than 18; c) actually my students, those little punks, are working pretty hard in my class without even realizing what a phony I am. 
  • Weight gain is avoided even when ice cream is a staple for dinner -- hooray for misery-induced lightning metabolism! Or something. Anyway, ice cream for dinner is always in the pro column. 
  • Teeny tiny victories make me feel like Michael Phelps.

Cons:

Well...
  • I miss sleeping. I miss the planner that was not so full of lists I can barely read it. I miss evenings that were my own and not a constant battle between my students and my professors, my lesson plans and my papers. 
  • I miss watching Hulu. I miss being informed about important national and international events.  I wish I could say I miss a more than b. Not sure that's true.
  • Being around so many smart people is a quick and easy way to realize that you are not, in fact, very smart at all. 
  • JAS is away -- and that's not grad school's fault, but I have to list it because it's a major life con. 
  •  Perpetual caffeine buzz makes me reasonably certain I am shortening my life with every fizzy sip.

Coping mechanisms:

  • Ice cream for dinner (see above).
  • Nice people who let me complain.
  • Skype.
  • Ballet class.
  • Mumford & Sons, soothing my soul. 
  • Angry Swedish ladies, pumping me up with their Europop.
  • Escape trips to Salt Lake.  
  • Daily mountain viewing.  
Most of all, most futilely but obsessively of all: knowing that the first semester will end, that time is passing, that come December 17th I will be gone from Provo, gone from Utah, gone from the United States and gone from classrooms...

and headed toward Germany, and family (including a very pregnant seester and growing little niece/nephew), and Jamie, and chocolate, and Christmas.

And no college freshmen in sight.

No comments:

Post a Comment