I guess the first day of school holds little weight when you have 14 years of secondary education (yep, I repeated kindergarten) "first days," then 4 years of college "first days," and 2 years of graduate school "first days." (Not to mention the completion-challenged 2nd graduate program multiple "first days.") Then, there are first days of school as a teacher and there are 9 of those. Actually, I've had a first day of school every year since 1984. Whoa.
Anyway...
Classes today... Tolkien's Apocalyptic Imagination and Th.M. Research Seminar in Christian Thought. Already, I have to read and finish the Silmarillion by next week for the Tolkien class and give a presentation on some Calvin sermons on Ephesians. Plus, a load of Barth reading. The other two classes start Thursday and Friday.
It's kindergarten all over again. "Hey, ummm, my name is Ruth and I'm from North Carolina." "Hey y'all, can I sit at this table?" "Excuse me, do you know how to work the library printer?" "Does anyone know where AC 240 is?" I've also done my fair share of that super awkward wandering around the buildings on campus because I got somewhere too early or I just don't really know what I'm doing. You put your hands in your pockets and then realize you don't have pockets. Then I look down and "Drat! I dressed like a teacher... I look all out of place... everyone else is way casual." Then you pull out the cell phone to look like you are the kind of person who folks like to call or send a text message to. You scan the phone but, as usual, no messages. So, then, you just look up the weather and stare at that for a good 10-15 minutes. Then, you put the phone away and look for a stick of gum in your purse. As soon as your start chewing... "Drat! I'm about to go to lecture and it is so rude to chew gum in front of your professor (or at least I hated it as a teacher.)" Now you have to spit out your gum but you can't find a trash can so now you are the girl who is overdressed, holding chewed gum between your thumb and forefinger, incredibly disheveled, and dropping things because your phone didn't quite make it back into the pouch in your bag.
It was Ruth, in all her glory. : )
But, truly, being in class was like taking in a higher level of oxygen. It was so refreshing to be a student yet simultaneously, I was ACHING to teach. OH, how I wanted a chalkboard and a podium! Instead, I reminded myself that I am spending loads of money to have them teach me. I did, however, laugh at all the profs jokes because I know what it feels like to make jokes that your students either don't get or don't think are funny. Ah, but it was so sweet to be in that hallowed ground called... deep breath... a classroom. The place where ideas are in the air you breathe and you can almost hear minds do what they were created to do. It's so wonderfully freeing and right and wholesome that you just want to hug someone, or do a little jig, or something...
I just love school... even though I have to study Calvin this week. At least I get some Tolkien thrown in there somewhere.
And you should never say never to first days of school... let's hope I get to be in all kinds of contexts where that happens in the future.
And, next time, I'll remember not to overdress or chew gum or be awkward...Yeah right... who am I kidding?
Anyway...
Classes today... Tolkien's Apocalyptic Imagination and Th.M. Research Seminar in Christian Thought. Already, I have to read and finish the Silmarillion by next week for the Tolkien class and give a presentation on some Calvin sermons on Ephesians. Plus, a load of Barth reading. The other two classes start Thursday and Friday.
It's kindergarten all over again. "Hey, ummm, my name is Ruth and I'm from North Carolina." "Hey y'all, can I sit at this table?" "Excuse me, do you know how to work the library printer?" "Does anyone know where AC 240 is?" I've also done my fair share of that super awkward wandering around the buildings on campus because I got somewhere too early or I just don't really know what I'm doing. You put your hands in your pockets and then realize you don't have pockets. Then I look down and "Drat! I dressed like a teacher... I look all out of place... everyone else is way casual." Then you pull out the cell phone to look like you are the kind of person who folks like to call or send a text message to. You scan the phone but, as usual, no messages. So, then, you just look up the weather and stare at that for a good 10-15 minutes. Then, you put the phone away and look for a stick of gum in your purse. As soon as your start chewing... "Drat! I'm about to go to lecture and it is so rude to chew gum in front of your professor (or at least I hated it as a teacher.)" Now you have to spit out your gum but you can't find a trash can so now you are the girl who is overdressed, holding chewed gum between your thumb and forefinger, incredibly disheveled, and dropping things because your phone didn't quite make it back into the pouch in your bag.
It was Ruth, in all her glory. : )
But, truly, being in class was like taking in a higher level of oxygen. It was so refreshing to be a student yet simultaneously, I was ACHING to teach. OH, how I wanted a chalkboard and a podium! Instead, I reminded myself that I am spending loads of money to have them teach me. I did, however, laugh at all the profs jokes because I know what it feels like to make jokes that your students either don't get or don't think are funny. Ah, but it was so sweet to be in that hallowed ground called... deep breath... a classroom. The place where ideas are in the air you breathe and you can almost hear minds do what they were created to do. It's so wonderfully freeing and right and wholesome that you just want to hug someone, or do a little jig, or something...
I just love school... even though I have to study Calvin this week. At least I get some Tolkien thrown in there somewhere.
And you should never say never to first days of school... let's hope I get to be in all kinds of contexts where that happens in the future.
And, next time, I'll remember not to overdress or chew gum or be awkward...Yeah right... who am I kidding?
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