This semester is going to drive me crazy but in a good way

[rebeccmeister]

There's that whole "rule of thumb" about how the ideal job is one that requires about 80% of your full mental capacity. Above that threshold, you're stretching your limits a little too far outside of your comfort zone and risk burnout. Below that threshold, you're going to get bored and have a hard time sustaining motivation to do a good job (unless you're magically supremely self-motivated and can figure out how to make things even more engaging/rewarding).

So, yeah.

That said, given the various juggling, I sort of feel like I'm going to need to find a big stick so I can put a notch in that stick for each week that I survive.

Also, I'm going to know a whole lot of physiology a whole hell of a lot better by the end of the semester. Hopefully a person will be able to say the same of my students as well. From a number of the questions I've been getting so far, chances seem good so far.

It's interesting to get to work with students at both of the extreme ends of the college experience. Last semester was almost entirely freshmen, while this semester for Comparative Physiology the class is almost entirely seniors. Very different in terms of attitude and preparation.

Comments

[moodyduck]

I found when I TA'ed invert zoology (intense elective) rather than general ecology (required so had premed students who didn't really care about the topic) there was a huge difference in student mindset and independence. And that was all upperclassmen, mostly.