Monday officially marked the first day of the fall break for our students. This technically means that students have left the building until next week. First year law students who heeded warnings and upper level students who viewed the break as an opportunity to get ahead academically occupy study rooms in the library and classrooms throughout the building. A student or two might stop by my office or honor a scheduled meeting but this is also my opportunity to maximize my student-free time. While the students are away, I have much to accomplish but can also practice some self-care.
This is the first period of time since the semester began that I can sit, think, and complete a task without multiple interruptions. This is the perfect time to tackle some big projects and tasks that require minimal interruptions or multitasking. Below are just a few things I accomplished during this short week:
(1) Met and worked with a handful of students
(2) Met and discussed a January project with my supervisor
(3) Met with a colleague to discuss another January project
(4) Purged a number of papers
(5) Worked on mock exams
(6) Left the building for lunch
(7) Walked outside for some fresh air
(8) Took a personal day off from work
I hope that as Academic Support Professionals, we can all take a deep breath, rejuvenate, spend some time with family and friends, and come back energized to help students finish the semester strong. (Goldie Pritchard)
