Who was my favorite student this term?

There was the one who refused to follow instructions and then peppered me and the TA with panicked emails when he couldn't get things to work.  There was the one who sat in the front row with his finger up his nose.  There was the one I only saw twice, on exam days.  There was the one who came to every class, always prepared, but who spectacularly failed every exam.  There was the one who insisted on telling me when she was on her period.  There was the one who missed an exam and then insisted that I or the TA had lost it.  There was the one who came in with a black eye because he got into a brawl.  There was the one who wasn't going to vote because, "the system is rigged against conservatives."

Well, it was none of these.

Whew.

This was a terrible term.  I taught my two most difficult classes (as in, I care about them), Monday through Friday.  At some point I decided that to teach both of them around lunch time would be a great idea, and so that's how they were scheduled.

Every morning, every day of the work week, I prepped for class.  Then I taught class.  Then I had a few hours left to do everything else until I had to deal with Angry Teenager who gets out of school at around 3:00.  Consequently, I got absolutely nothing done for the entire autumn term.  Furthermore, I was exhausted and stressed every day of the week.

Maybe other people don't need a whole morning to prep for class, but my prep time usually expands to fill the time available.  ("Ooh, I should update my literature review on [obscure topic] and tie in all these current events!  And make new powerpoints with video links!") Maybe other people can get "deep work" done in little 45 minute blocks, but I can't.  I was spent by about week 7 into the term, and I am ever so grateful that it's (almost) over.  Just a few more term papers to grade!

To all my compatriots, I lift a glass to you this evening.  May your grade complaints be few, and may your holidays be merry!