Classes have started up again. It is a time for me to return to routine and some sense of normalcy. It is amazing how crazy summers can get even though you technically have far fewer responsibilities.
As classes are starting again, I am reminded of a few of the things that are leading me towards burn-out. First, I should mention that my school is somewhat atypical. We are designed to outreach to an underserved population, which, in part, means that we admit students who normally wouldn’t be admitted to a 4-year college with somewhat rigorous academics. As a result, many of the students are simply not ready for college-level work. This is not their fault—I blame it mostly on the inept public school system (which is definitely a topic for a future blog). Partly because the students are less prepared, and partly because my department creates something of a family atmosphere for them, students spend a lot of time hanging around the offices. I used to think this was a wonderful thing until I came to a startling realization: I can’t get work done when students are there. So, I was having to bring work home with me to do in the evenings.
This year I am trying something different. I am not spending as much time on campus. Basically, I am staying home (or at least out of the office) for the most part in the mornings. It is amazing how much more efficient I have been in the first week of school after starting this practice. Who knows, I might actually have time to really work on this blog…
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