Okay, that title is a little dramatic, but it is the beginning of a new year (in case you hadn't noticed). Christmas was good, I think, though a bit of a blur. I went from grading final exams and being totally burnt out to diving right into the crowded malls for Christmas shopping. I think I did okay. I just wish I could remember where I parked my car.
Okay, kidding about the car. I did find it. I actually didn't mind the whole experience too much, but it did leave me pretty exhausted. Christmas came on hard and fast, like a nor'easter that the weather channel didn't forecast. It left me kind of dazed, seeing tons of family and friends, food, drinks, sitting around, watching lots of hockey (World Juniors and my beloved Bruins outdoors on New Year's Day), and the next thing I knew, it was the first week in January and I hadn't even begun my revisions on my to-be-published short story collection (Moonlight Sketches) or to-be-submitted novels (Finton Moon and Darwin Day). So now I'm doing that, along with preparing for the upcoming semester, which starts, well, today.
I'm looking forward to classes beginning tomorrow (Friday) and checking out my new students. I expect there'll be a few familiar faces but mostly folks I've never seen before. I try to see each semester as a new adventure in which I may know the terrain but I never know the characters I'll meet along the way. Every semester brings some surprises along the way, lots of fun along with the stress (both students' and mine), and I always wind up enjoying the whole thing. I hope the same can be said for each student.
But that very much depends on the kind of attitude you bring with you. I hope it's a good semester and a great year for you. People will tell you that high school years are the best ones of your life. Don't believe them. University days--whether good or bad--always stand out as the make-or-break years, any moment that has so much riding on it has to be among the best and worst of times.
I think that, in university years, you become what you are going to be for the rest of your life.
Something to think about.
GC
