New(s)

A former student and I have been going back and forth on Facebook about how things have changed for us academically since last semester. I've started a new job at a new school and she's started a new major. Trying to describe how much things have changed, though, made me think seriously about how they haven't. Of course, there are the obvious things: I go to department meetings now, write course descriptions, work on curricular planning, and students call me "doctor." These are new, sure. But I've always had to balance teaching with an array of other responsibilities, like research, writing, and planning for the next semester. Part of me always thought that once I got a job I'd be so swamped in trying to get tenure, teaching, and whatever else the department threw at me that my life would be unrecognizable.

But that's just not the case. If I learned anything in graduate school it was productivity by way of procrastination. Which is to say, if I can't work on "x," then I'll work on "a," "b," or "c." When I simply can't look at the article I'm trying to revise for publication anymore, then I do some functional things - write observation protocols, or look up writers to invite to campus, whatever needs to be done. I strike a rhythm with my work that reminds me a lot of what it was like writing a dissertation, then switching over to teaching once I couldn't look at that chapter anymore, then switching over to some committee work when I couldn't grade anymore papers. I find dwelling on the familiar parts helps me approach all the new stuff with excitement, even inspiration. It's weird.