I've heard that actors experience a huge letdown (some call it depression) after a play ends. Since teaching a class is a production onto itself, I shouldn't have been that surprised that I would have similar feelings after the semester concluded.
Don't agree that a college class is analogous to something seen on the The Great White Way? Consider this: the students are our audience (although hopefully more participatory than a typical Broadway crowd), lecture notes serve as a script, the professor (ME) is constantly performing, improvisation is often frequently employed, and, if things go particularly well, you can receive rave reviews.
In the week after the semester ended, I was too exhausted to think about anything but GET ME SLEEP. After a few nights of 10 solid hours of sleep, I was feeling myself again...almost. Something was a little off. I don't know if it was because I felt guilt for not working as much as during the semester (so in my office from 8:30 am to 10:00 pm and then more grading from 10:30 pm until at least 12:30 am) or sadness because I knew I would never see these students again, but I felt really off.
Is this a normal feeling to experience after the academic year ends? Is it just because it was my first year and so I'm seeing my first graduation, or is this something that will happen ever year?
7 comments:
Not only is it the end of the semester but the end of your time at that institution. Maybe the end of classes and the reality of leaving is starting to sink in?
It seems unfair that we have no equivalent to the cast party though!
I was going to say what Albatross said. And at least you'll soon have the happiness of moving to N.A.
Yeah, I think it might be the double-combo, like you mentioned, Albatross. At least I hope so! I don't want to feel like this every year for the next twenty plus years!
Hmm...yeah, there really isn't much of a cast party. There was a LOT of free liquor at most of the graduation events, but it's quite unseemly for a faculty member to get wasted at a school event!
EGF: If I can ever get packed! N.A. now knows that I am the slowest packer ever. (In my defense, I have 10 days until my departure date, so I might as well take my time and sort through things.
hm, partly what I felt after each semester. Mainly because I wondered "where will the small undergrad go now" ... as a motherish person looking after the ones leaving the next ;)
then again, it got better and better with time. I think it is more the shock that "wow, I now have my time to myself to plan without students knocking on the door/seminars/grading"...
good luck with moving!!
Transitions/life changes always make me sleepy. Rest up and best wishes for the big move!
Not sure about the letdown but of course one could miss the students, especially the brighter ones :)
Good luck with moving!
Thanks for the moving wishes! Chall, I think part of it has been the shock of having my "own" time again. It's weird!
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