Today has been a day unlike any other. Partially because, well, every day around here is different...and partially because it was full of some great highs (the possibility of an exciting part-time job as a teaching assistant in Yale College; anticipation of an impending reunion in DC this weekend; dinner with a good friend) and some obnoxious lows (a difficult phone call with a clinic client; a piece of news uncharitably delivered via Facebook newsfeed). For some reason, the first couple weeks of a semester are a time for reconsideration and rebirth - both good and bad - and the past few days have been no exception.
One of the challenges of 2L is the realization that "1Ls do all the busywork, 2Ls are in charge, and 3Ls tune out" is often truer than one might like to believe. Most organizations are run by 2Ls, and while some of the groups I'm involved in are a huge source of positive energy, others tend to be a bit of a drain. A few times, I've found myself thinking, "Why did I sign up for this again?!? How did I let someone convince me to be in charge of this??"
It's always been hard for me to say no when asked to help out...and to acknowledge that I can't and don't want to do everything is certainly a positive change that I'm trying to make for myself. I was trying to explain to a 1L friend of mine today that 1L fall is all about trying lots of new things, but that you shouldn't feel obligated to do *everything*...and I felt like I should have been giving myself the same advice. As my calendar fills up with color-coded obligations from morning till night, it gets harder and harder to prioritize class reading (which, let's face it, is almost always my lowest priority), clinic projects, journal work (honestly, I'm scared to check my journal's email account that I've let languish for at least two months), and research & other part-time work...especially against spending time with old friends and nurturing new relationships. One of my goals is to be more purposeful this semester - thinking seriously about how I use and commit my time, both to myself and others.
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I can SO relate to this post. I'm leading a student organization, in 2 others, research editor for a journal (and the beginning of the new publication cycle is CRAZY busy), taking six classes...why am I doing this to myself again?! :)
I'm looking forward to "not caring" next year...except I know I probably still will ::sigh::
Glad your year is off to a good (if hectic) start!
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