Holy crap – is it really the first day of the semester? This summer has flown by, and I’m still sitting here in the dust. Luckily, having 6 weeks off for maternity allowed me some time outside of the workplace, but now that I’m back full-force, it’s still taking my body (and brain) a bit of time to catch up. I’m not saying I dreaded the first day with everyone back, but I was sort of nervous about it – so many people, the campus is teaming with them.
But, I digress…
I have lots to look forward to this academic year, and I thought, what better way to deal with the first day than list some goals?
1. Teach better
I don’t teach my own class this semester, but I am teaching a ton of library instruction sessions. I still have this nagging feeling that I’m teaching as well as I could be– why is that? I know that I want to be a better teacher, but I’m struggling to figure out just how to do that. More on this, I’m sure.
2. Do better
By do better, I mean make better. I want to be better at crafting events and being more creative with my designs. If that means learning how to draw, then that means learning how to draw! I also think I could be a little bit more organized with my event planning, and I need to learn to ask for help when I need it.
3. Listen better
This semester I’m acting as a mentor to an incoming freshman. I feel as though my listening skills suddenly flew the coop after moving to Texas – I don’t know why. Maybe it’s because everyone here genuinely likes hearing each other talk and I forgot how to listen. Either way, I’m aware that I struggle with it, and it’s my biggest goal this year.
What are some of your goals for the school year?
Amy Pajewski 