I am in the final stages of several things. Tonight is my last grad class of the year (and I'm turning in that final giant research paper). Friday my students graduate, and the following week my son graduates, too. And then, suddenly, I will have some free time on my hands.
I'm sure I'm not the only one who sees free time as such a stranger that when it arrives it is both a pleasure and a burden. What should I do with it? How can I be sure not to squander it?
Last summer I had no time to enjoy my yard because I had to take a stringent summer course. It was fascinating, but it was hard work. By the time I was finished it was almost time to return to work.
This summer I am teaching summer school and my son, for the first time, is taking it. We're both, ironically, in classes called "Creative Writing."
But beyond that, I have a bit of time: time to reflect, time to enjoy the sun, time to sit on my own modest patio and read a book. (That's my dog hiding in the shrubbery of last year's patio flowers).
I'm so enjoying the prospect of enjoying the summer this way that I fear summer itself will not be able to live up to my expectations of rest and relaxation. Perhaps our dreams of events are always better and more splendid than the events themselves (I am encouraged in this belief by my students' stories of the long-awaited prom, now over). :)
In any case, I'm almost ready, Summer!
Does anyone out there have fun summer plans--or fun summer ideas?
2 comments:
No real plans but I know what you mean about free time being unusual. I practically panic wondering how to use it. Sounds like you are pretty ambitious! I've often thought, if I had enough free time someday taking some college courses -- not for credit -- would be fun. I figure I would really know how to get the most out of them now.
Exactly! And because I am paying for it (while my parents paid for much of my undergrad education), I really understand the value of education on the financial level as well as on the cerebral level.
And it is fun. Once I have my Master's I'll probably still want to audit a class now and then; I need to keep the ol' brain working.
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