Rhythms & Routines

A friend asked me recently if I had established a new routine.  It's a great question, because my routine is like my security blanket.  When school started, I could establish a routine more easily; now that Zumba offerings are more regular my routine can be even more so.  I thought you'd like to see my new routine as it has shaped up so far, just to give a feel for my life:

Weekdays:

5am - up & at 'em!  Ok, maybe more like drag out of bed & stagger to the shower...

6:30 - Mass & morning prayer time

8am - in my office.  I officially hold office hours on Monday & Wednesday from 8-9:30.  So far, not too many people have come through, but I have had a few.

MWF - class from 10-11.  TR - class from 9:30 - 12:15.

MWF - 11 am is meeting time; no classes meet.  And very often there's a meeting of some sort.  The good news is that it can't last longer than an hour!

12 noon-ish: lunch!

On Mondays, I hold office hours from 1-3, then work til 5.

On Tuesday & Thursday, I have class from 2:15-3:30, so I try to get some work done before & after class.

On Wednesdays, we have a department meeting from 1-3, and then I work til 5.

On Fridays, I work as hard as I have the energy for til 5:00.

MTWRF 5pm:  Quittin' Time!

Home for dinner and some housework (I don't know why it takes so long to clean this little house, but it does), then usually more schoolwork before bed.

Two nights a week and once on the weekend I go to Zumba.  I don't like to spend my weekend exercising, but the best classes meet on the weekend.

I realized it works well for me to get groceries on the way home from Zumba.  I drive right past Wal-Mart and Krogers; my brain has already switched off for the day (so I wouldn't be good for much schoolwork) but my body is still going (so I have the energy to zip through the aisles and grab what I need).

Weekends:

On Saturdays I work almost the whole day.  I was used to putting in a couple of hours on Saturdays, but I tried to keep the weekends fairly open.  I'm not crazy about working six days a week on a regular basis; I keep hoping that it's a first year practice and my weekends will free up again.

Friday & Saturday night I try to do something fun & social - go to a party, have dinner with a friend, call someone from home.

And Sunday is my day of rest.  I read, take a nap, watch a movie, garden...let my little introverted self recharge for the week.  The lack of dishwasher prompted me to switch to using paper plates on Sunday; now I find it really nice to just reheat my food and then throw that plate away.  No cooking; no cleaning.  I love it.

I feel like I've hit the rhythm as far as planning lessons and teaching and getting to meetings goes.  This week the first round of papers comes in, so I will have to get into a new rhythm.  I told a friend that it's like juggling:  first you juggle a couple of things, then you add a third, then a fourth....  So I've learned to juggle planning and teaching, next we'll add grading.  Then, once I'm over the grading hump, we'll add advising.  (Yes, I get to direct the students in their course choices for next semester and make sure they graduate on time...why didn't I pay more attention when we did this at the high school??)  I do hope I don't drop anything important!

Two great pieces of news this week.  First, several faculty and staff have told me they've heard that my students really love me and are buzzing about my classes.  I'm so glad.  I already love them too so I'm glad it's mutual.  Of course, once I start grading their papers things may change!  But it makes me really happy to hear they enjoy the class, the material, and me.  It makes the hard work worthwhile.

Second, I got my teaching assignments for next semester.  I anticipated teaching four different classes: two repeats from this semester and two new ones.  I felt really apprehensive about that:  this semester I have three different classes, which has been quite overwhelming, so to have four preps (two entirely new preps, plus working on the two I've only taught once) would be even more so.  But today I found out I'll only have three different classes again...like this semester...and two of them are repeats.  What a relief!  One of the repeats will be Teaching in a Catholic High School, and if early indications tell us anything, I will have a larger group next semester than this one.  The other repeat will be Content & Curriculum, but I'll teach it on the graduate level, so I anticipate more work to do on that course.  The third class, which I will teach twice, is Methods I.  I will still work very hard next semester...but at least I think I can manage it.  Four preps?  I wasn't so sure.

And hey, get this:  I get to say what days & times I want to teach the classes.  Whoa!!  THAT's a perk, let me tell you!

So I'm hitting my stride, and while that will be interrupted a bit as I add new duties, I feel more confident that I will in fact conquer this, and that I can conquer next semester too.  Thanks be to God!