The End Is Near

Well, three classes down, one to go. The end is near. Some reflective thoughts.

1. I love studying and taking classes. It seems like a human right that should never be denied. Because as much as you love studying, you have to break from it eventually to enter the job force to make some money. I know, you can be a PhD student and prolong it all for another 5 years, but PhD work is different--it has to be narrowly focused, and I'm not so sure that's for me.

2. When I'm not teaching I exist differently. I have an appetite, I sleep deeply and soundly. I have more energy. I take naps. Have you ever been able to take naps regularly? It changes your WHOLE life. I nap four or five days every week. That's another human right that shouldn't be denied.

3. What a rare treasure it is to find a really good teacher. Teaching is a tough job. It's very hard to do well. Very few teachers are REALLY good at it. At Harvard I've been lucky to have some pretty good teachers, and I've (for the most part) gotten everything I wanted out of my classes. But it's still rare to get that great teacher, that life-changing teacher. They're an unbelievable treasure if you ever stumble across one.

4. You know how teachers say "there aren't any stupid questions"? That's a lie. Of course there are stupid questions. Lots of them. I've heard them in my classes from time to time. Someone will speak, and I'll think to myself "now THAT was a stupid question."

5. You know how when you get out of the pool your swimsuit clings to your legs? That's one of my least favorite feelings.