I finally know all of my teaching assignments for the fall semester. As expected, it's four sections of the same Intro to Pseudology course. And, as I'd hoped for syllabus-planning purposes, all sections are on the MWF schedule. Somewhat less expected, although perhaps without reason, is that my first class of the day is at 8:00AM.
FML
I don't think I even took any 8:00AM classes in four years of college, and of course my professors in grad school never dreamed of teaching a seminar course that early. I don't think even my RC-ish language instructor ever scheduled anything that early, and those classes were at least half-full of undergrads at the elementary and intermediate levels.
FML
This means that, depending on where I rent a place in the as-yet-lacking-a-pseudonym town, I may have to rise at 6:00AM to make sure that I can rise, shower, shave, and caffeinate myself in order to dive into a day of teaching that does not end, in the classroom(s), until 4:00PM.
FML
I know it's churlish to complain about these trivialities when it's a good first job to land, so I'll let it go there. But fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck, man, I hate getting up early for this stuff! I guess there's always an outside possibility that I'll surprise myself by learning to love it, and start rising at 5:00AM to maintain my early-morning writing sessions before hitting the world. But I seriously fucking doubt it.
FML
I don't think I even took any 8:00AM classes in four years of college, and of course my professors in grad school never dreamed of teaching a seminar course that early. I don't think even my RC-ish language instructor ever scheduled anything that early, and those classes were at least half-full of undergrads at the elementary and intermediate levels.
FML
This means that, depending on where I rent a place in the as-yet-lacking-a-pseudonym town, I may have to rise at 6:00AM to make sure that I can rise, shower, shave, and caffeinate myself in order to dive into a day of teaching that does not end, in the classroom(s), until 4:00PM.
FML
I know it's churlish to complain about these trivialities when it's a good first job to land, so I'll let it go there. But fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck, man, I hate getting up early for this stuff! I guess there's always an outside possibility that I'll surprise myself by learning to love it, and start rising at 5:00AM to maintain my early-morning writing sessions before hitting the world. But I seriously fucking doubt it.
Condolences on the early schedule. I'm a night person, myself. Funny thing - when I was taking Shakespeare for the first time, it was a 8 a.m. class. Every morning when I'd wake up, I'd be in a surly mood, saying, "I fucking hate this." But I never missed a class. I actually overslept once for an 8 a.m. class (composition) that I was teaching, but I never missed Shakespeare. From my perfect attendance, it was clear that I was meant to be involved with Shakespeare for the rest of my life.
ReplyDeleteI hope Tuesdays and Thursdays can be more restful for you!
Our most sincere condolences.
ReplyDeleteYeah, it'll suck, but the MWF is good. Trust me, I saw my officemate last fall with a four-class T/Th schedule. Sucks!
ReplyDeleteAnd at least you'll have it done and over with right away. As W.C. Fields once said, "Start the day off with a smile, and get it over with."
PS troubles with commutes in Postdoctoral Paradise? I don't believe it. The anarchists will show you that there are some *great* windowless sheds and converted basements just miles from the campus. ;)
Wait wait wait, I'm stuck on: four sections of the same class? on the same day? I feel like that has to be some special circle of hell. I'm sure you'll acquit yourself well...but I'm also sure that, by class #4, you will have to deliver the class in RC-ish just to keep it interesting.
ReplyDeleteMy first semester teaching, I had an 8am class, and a one hour commute. That was also the semester my wife had a baby. So, preeeeeety much I didn't sleep for the entire month of November (up until 2am prepping, wake up at 6am to get dressed and eat, a couple of wake-ups during the night), until I had a nervous breakdown at Thanksgiving and realized that I had to stop being such a damn idiot. At least it's all afternoons this fall, even if it is 4 days a week...
My sympathies, for sure. Here's my schedule:
ReplyDeleteMWF-2 PM
TR-teach at 8 and then again at 3.
No, really. Five days a week. An 8 AM class. Teaching 'til 3 on a Friday.
I try to remind myself that this is far better than what I had before (that is to say, nothing), but I never imagined that I could get such a sucky teaching schedule! Still, I see that it could be worse. I am also fortunate in that I will be living about 10 minutes (by foot) from my office.
We will have much to commiserate over.
@Fie: I'm not expecting to have such an epiphany about teaching Intro to Pseudology, although anything is possible in this life. Perhaps the students will make a difference there.
ReplyDelete@Sis: You're right, TTh for a four-class schedule would be hellish. I'd really be unable to pronounce my own name after a day of that. At least I have a little time to breathe in between some of my MWF classes.
@Ajnabieh: I'm a little worried to see the shape I'm in by that fourth class each day. It's entirely possible I could lapse into some other language by accident as my brain disengages, much less any stunts I try on purpose.
@Hap: My sympathies to you as well! No doubt this is part of that 'dues-paying' business people warned us about as young academics. Meet you at the virtual bar in a few months for a bitch session, ok?