I got to sleep in a little bit today, since there are no classes on weekends. However, I had to be at the Sciences Library at 11 AM to meet with My, the TA for Women and Leadership and my RA. I walked with Lupe and met Selene there since their meetings were at 10:45. We didn't see My anywhere, and we really wanted to get breakfast since the dining halls had closed before we woke up. But we kept on waiting "just five more minutes" for her to show up. Eventually Lupe called; it turns out that My had slept late and that the phone call woke her up. At last, I got to meet with her. We discussed my Action Plan - I've solidified my ultimate goals and what would be feasible. I also identified possible resources and mentors. My Action Plan worksheet is completely filled with notes written every which way. I feel much better about it, though.
Then, I studied for about four hours with a bunch of friends in Lina's room, which is across the hall. I caught up on yesterday's work and finished all of today's - probably more than sixty pages of dense reading. Tomorrow I'll do some more and try to finish the two projects which are due early next week. I'd say it was a productive four hours.
Our little group decided to go to WaterFire, which is a kind of artistic event where baskets of wood poking out of the river are lit on fire. It's very pretty and the roaring fire reflects on the dark water. We sat with our legs dangling over the edge and enjoyed the scene for about two hours. The plan was to see WaterFire and then go to a dance back at Brown. We stopped by the dorm and then set off for the dance. I wasn't too excited because crowds stress me out and I don't really like dances in general. Still, I gave it a try and managed to stay for about twenty minutes before I decided that I would have a lot more fun sleeping in my bed than jumping around with a few hundred other sweaty people to loud music. I thought the theme was fun, though - it was a "Wedding Crashers" party. I guess it was nice as dances go, but it was still a dance and those aren't for me.
My plan is to sleep in even more tomorrow and work hard on my homework so I'll have some of the day left to relax and spend time with friends. Today was a nice balance of the two.
(This is Leah Carroll)
ReplyDeleteThat's great that you're getting the one-on-one coaching from the TA and RA on the action plan. Wish I'd had that when I was figuring out how to be a student leader!
Irene,
ReplyDeleteSome people are made for dances and others are not. I never enjoyed dancing so I was never able to make the most out of the dances. You know what they say about some of us—you know, the ones without rhythm and with two left feet. And with so many digital cameras around these days when someone like me gets out on a dance floor it ends up on the Internet and the next thing you know careers are lost, lawsuits are filed and mothers disown their children. No, Irene, for some of us it’s better for all if we avoid the dance floor.
I’m betting that with you, though, it’s just a matter of personal choice that you just don’t share the same enthusiasm for social affairs such as this as others do.
Before signing off, I’m just thinking about reading the nearly 700 ILC blogs for this year and recounting the number of references to people oversleeping and taking naps. I’m thinking that the rate that this is happening is abnormally higher than it is under normal circumstances. Since the classes aren’t all that strenuous, there must be another reason. Having a superior intellect as I do -- ☺ -- I deduced that the root cause has to be the Ivy League schools themselves. There’s something about them that just tires people out above and beyond what you’d expect outside of those ivy covered walls.
I'm a social person, but I don't like crowds of strangers and blinking lights. There's a fine line there.
ReplyDeleteYes, the personal coaching is so helpful. I feel that our class size (23 people) is perfect for discussions but still allows us to have one-on-one time with the TA, and most importantly, the professor.
I would say that the Women and Leadership class probably has the most class time, evening meetings, and homework out of most of the classes at Brown (definitely out of the Leadership Institute). It's really a whole curriculum that doesn't focus on only one aspect of Women and Leadership. We think about the subject from all different angles. All of that contributes to how tired we are.