Monday, January 10, 2011

Misery loves company

I deleted yesterday's post about being homesick.  I am homesick.  In fact, I haven't felt this level of homesickness since my first semester.  There are two reasons:

  1. This semester I volunteered to do work with internships that has been an experience worse than dealing with the cheating in my first semester.
  2. While I really enjoy the training I'm doing, it made the internship headaches all the worse.

I have had virtually no contact with colleagues or friends.  I can count on my fingers (on one hand!) the number of social things I've done this semester... so it's not surprising I'm homesick.

Today I was discussing this with a colleague and he said, "I've been here since 2003 and this has been my worst experience at this university."

"THANK YOU!" I exclaimed.  He gave me a bewildered look.  "I thought I was the only one.  Thank you for letting me know this has been hell for you, too!"

*****
So, yes, I am homesick but it's more a feeling of isolation.  It will get better.  If nothing else my grades are due on January 23.  One way or another I'm done in 13 days.

Yippee!
*****
What has me so worked up is easy to understand:  I think internships are great.  I think all colleges should require them.  And I think they should be pass/fail.

How do you determine an "A" internship vs. a "B" internship?  Or lower?  A student this semester was given an internship where she made coffee and made copies.  (In other words, a pretty worthless internship.)  She completed the tasks given her.

How the #$%# am I supposed to give a grade to that? She had a bad assignment but did her duties.  So A for doing duties, but F for not actually doing any college graduate duties?  Yeah, I can't do that.  It's not her fault.

1 comment:

  1. It's very gray here today...cold. It's Jan. in Iowa. There is nothing to do in Iowa in Jan. Right now there is not even any snow to sled or build a snowman....just piles of unmelted snow in parking lots that are dirty and depressing.

    Does that make you feel better? I hope so cuz now I'm depressed!

    Call a friend...if even for an hour go out and do something fun in the warm, sunny weather.

    Love ya!
    Cari

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