Finals Week is Over

Every semester prior to this one I have tallied scores for finals week freakout fest in which the one who has procrastinated the most is considered the winner of freakout fest. Well, I used to think such things were fun, but they don't hold as much appeal anymore. Part of the reason is that this semester has been so hard on me and the other part is that there's simply no way I'll ever beat Tisha. She's a Master Procrastinator, and I'll never have a chance at beating her. Plus, we've changed our tune; we're planning to help each other out next semester so that we don't leave everything for the last minute anymore. We've set aside a specific time in which we will meet weekly and force each other to work on reading and writing our papers that will surely be due at the end of the semester. More grad students are free to join us if they need help dealing with their procrastination tendencies, too.

So, no more Finals Week Freakout Fest. Sorry...

On the plus side, I'm done with this semester and I've never felt better. There was a time in the middle of the semester when I very seriously wanted to quit and hide in a whole for awhile. But, I dealt with my teaching problems instead of completely running away from them. I feel like I have a slightly better idea of what to do next semester to avoid these problems and to somehow make the class a little better. But, I've given up on the idea that I'll be good at teaching and just accepted that I'm learning and it's a process.

I've dealt with all of my dissertation woes as well. I managed to write all three chapters of my dissertation proposal this semester. Even though all three still require lots of work, I'm feeling pretty good about it. And I'm excited because I discovered my committee chair did her dissertation on the same task I want to study for my dissertation. I am following in her footsteps and I don't even realize it.

Now the final thing for me to deal with is that incomplete that I took for my independent study. I don't want to take all semester to finish it. I'm going to work on writing the paper for that independent study over break. I need to write my two comps papers, too. This will not be a break for me. I'm just glad I have time over the break to devote to writing. But, apparently my boyfriend has the next week and a half off for the holidays. I must be strong and resist the urge to spend all my time with him. That.will.be.so.difficult. Ugh!