Looking Forward to the Semester From Hell
The fall semester starts up again in just over a week. I just looked at the rosters at both colleges and all of my classes look like they are going to run. One only has single digits in it but it is at an extension campus. This is a new initiative by the college and as they are really struggling with attendance--all colleges seem to be--they are going to have it run with even a small handful. I do not mind at all. It means less papers to grade, a shorter commute, and a larger paycheck
The only thing is that this will be a Semester From Hell. What do I mean? Well...
I have been in a serious funk the past month. Even Bear commented that I have been really negative lately. Not a good thing. So, in a session with my therapist we discussed it. It seems that between having crisis upon crisis lately, I do not like lots of unstructured time. Don't get me wrong. A week of nothing to do but read and play video games would be ideal. However, three months of it was a bit too much. Yes, I was teaching but it was only one class and is one I could teach in my sleep. Yes, I had a lot of crises that I was juggling but they annoyed me more than kept me focused.
I am not a Type A personality. While I do share some of potential traits with that in that I am highly self-critical and have trouble enjoying my successes those are more due to growing up with a narcissistic mother than being Type A.
I guess I just thrive on positive stress. I need focus in my life. More specifically intellectual challenges. Teaching the same shit every day can be boring, which is why I enjoy changing things up every semester. Heck, I love it when I get a brand new class to teach. Yes, I do stress out as I put a lot of pressure on myself but learning all the material needed to teach a new class is fascinating to me.
Back in my undergrad days, I had this one professor who not only was a fantastic teacher he made such a big impression on me that I still keep in touch with him. He once commented that when I find something I am interested in, I have to read and research every little thing about it until I feel I know enough to be confident in sharing that knowledge with someone else. Yes, it is a bit obsessive but I just get so fascinated and have to absorb as much about it as I can. Heck, I spent over six hours learning everything I could about Scientology after Tom Cruise did his couch jumping thing. The more I learned, the more fascinated I was (that was more along the lines of watching a car accident fascination than a good one). I do shit like that.
So yeah, you will most likely hear me bitch and moan about all the work I have to do or all the stress I am under between now and Christmas, but you know what? Deep down inside, I am going to love every minute of it.
Yes. I am weird.
The only thing is that this will be a Semester From Hell. What do I mean? Well...
- Three classes at Inner-City College
- Three classes at Rural College
- Two graduate classes - While they are online that is still a lot of work
- An internship that takes up two full days a well
I have been in a serious funk the past month. Even Bear commented that I have been really negative lately. Not a good thing. So, in a session with my therapist we discussed it. It seems that between having crisis upon crisis lately, I do not like lots of unstructured time. Don't get me wrong. A week of nothing to do but read and play video games would be ideal. However, three months of it was a bit too much. Yes, I was teaching but it was only one class and is one I could teach in my sleep. Yes, I had a lot of crises that I was juggling but they annoyed me more than kept me focused.
I am not a Type A personality. While I do share some of potential traits with that in that I am highly self-critical and have trouble enjoying my successes those are more due to growing up with a narcissistic mother than being Type A.
I guess I just thrive on positive stress. I need focus in my life. More specifically intellectual challenges. Teaching the same shit every day can be boring, which is why I enjoy changing things up every semester. Heck, I love it when I get a brand new class to teach. Yes, I do stress out as I put a lot of pressure on myself but learning all the material needed to teach a new class is fascinating to me.
Back in my undergrad days, I had this one professor who not only was a fantastic teacher he made such a big impression on me that I still keep in touch with him. He once commented that when I find something I am interested in, I have to read and research every little thing about it until I feel I know enough to be confident in sharing that knowledge with someone else. Yes, it is a bit obsessive but I just get so fascinated and have to absorb as much about it as I can. Heck, I spent over six hours learning everything I could about Scientology after Tom Cruise did his couch jumping thing. The more I learned, the more fascinated I was (that was more along the lines of watching a car accident fascination than a good one). I do shit like that.
So yeah, you will most likely hear me bitch and moan about all the work I have to do or all the stress I am under between now and Christmas, but you know what? Deep down inside, I am going to love every minute of it.
Yes. I am weird.
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