It’s crazy to me that I have not written a single blog post since January! Needless to say, life has been busy. I finished my first year as a full-time faculty member and I am nearing the one year mark of my relocation. So much has happened!
My new location is gradually becoming home in every sense. There are some things I welcomed – less traffic, a lower cost of living, a slower paced lifestyle, and the kindness of my new community. And there are still things I miss about my former home, including my friends, diversity, and cultural experiences. But I am constantly working to adjust my expectations and see the wonderful things about my new home.
In February I adopted a fur baby. The first few weeks were the roughest as I tried to sort out how to provide a safe and secure home for him, while also enforcing the discipline he needs to be a great companion. Three months in and we are doing well. He still challenges me from time to time in relation to following the rules, but overall he is a joy. He loves to play and cuddle. He is extremely attentive. He forces me to limit my work hours and exercise more. And he has brought a great deal of joy to my life in ways I never imagined.
I feel fulfilled in every way in relation to my career. I have worked long, hard, and intentional to spend as much of my days doing what I love. I’ve found that. Being a faculty member is not without difficulties, but I enjoy being in the classroom. I love meeting students and hearing about their experiences. It is exciting to have a career that challenges me to learn each day and stay abreast of current events. And teaching in particular is one career that encourages me to remain humble: I don’t know everything and never will; there is always someone in the room who knows more than me about a particular topic; and being a professor is an ever-evolving craft – you can never perfect it. This I find enriching.
During the spring semester, I participated in the National Faculty Center for Development and Diversity’s Faculty Success Program (FSP). I learned a lot from this program and made some new professional connections. There are three primary questions I am taking from FSP that I’m working to incorporate in my life every day: 1) what standards can I lower today; 2) what ways can I treat myself each day; and 3) what do I need to asses and adjust? How can I continue to lower my standards in nonessential ways? How will I reward myself every day of my life for the work I have done and do? And one of the biggest struggles for me – in what areas of my life do I need to take a step back, reassess, and adjust my schedule, expectations, and/or tasks?
Otherwise, I am spending this summer focusing on research tasks, hanging out with my fur baby, and resting. As is typical for me, I wrote an extensive list of goals for the summer. I have since disregarded most of them. The overarching goal for this summer is to enjoy not being a student, not being a person packing up and getting ready to move, and rejuvenating myself enough to be ready for the next academic year. I hope to write more this summer – including on my blog :-). I hope to reflect more, including writing in my journal. I hope to spend more time with family and friends – new and former. I hope to share a little more of me with you. Stay tuned.