The Second Year

As I was desperately trying to find my footing (and my balance) during my first year as an assistant professor, people tended to tell me that I would only get busier, but that I'd get better at managing it. I hope they're right about the second part; I'm certain they're right about the first part.

A few things that I'm trying to keep in mind for this week:

• I need to prep my presentation for the graduate application workshop on Friday
• I need to put together my handout for above workshop
• Fine tune schedule for next unit of both undergraduate classes
• Schedule observation with mentor
• Apply to Peer Review Teaching Program
• Send thank you email to Women's Studies Dept.
• Add those two sections to my article revision
• Figure out a new direction for above article
• Send proposal template to advisee
• Set up observations with GTA advisees
• Set up file review meetings with advisees
• Register for 4Cs conference
• Register for KATE conference & request technology for presentation
• Finish responding to Expos 3 memos
• Make sure late add is prepared to catch up in class
• Email a few sample lesson plans to an advisee
• Send follow up email to online journal
• Meet with writing partner to talk about article revision
• Steering committee meeting
• Teach 2 classes twice this week
• Start putting together reading lists & assignment descriptions for grad course for next term.

I *think* that's it. For this week. Next week I'll need to do observations for four advisees, do file reviews for those advisees, meet with each of them, and write 2 memos for each advisee (one observation report and one file review report). 

Just TYPING that made me sleepy. Let's, of course, not forget things like 

• seeing my husband at least two nights a week (our schedules don't coincide often)
• trying to get some sleep
• trying not to get the flu
• doing laundry
• grocery shopping
• making a feeble attempt to clean the house (ha! Like that's going to happen)
• trying to call family members who I haven't talked to in 1-3 weeks or more
• trying to call friends who I haven't talked to for 3-4 weeks or more
• oh, I don't know, showering, eating, random Target runs

I'd like to say I'm not complaining, but clearly I'm complaining a little bit. It can just get overwhelming. But somehow I do actually feel like I have a better sense of how to handle all of this. And I am doing a better job with balance so far this semester. I still need to be more organized, I still need to get ahead of the game a bit more, but I'm still on my feet and moving forward. You know, mostly.