One week down!

Finished up my first week at school. No class yet, but a whole bunch of orientations. I feel as though I am completely oriented to the school, my job, and my department. Probably a little too much. After four days of orientations I have been inundated with massive amounts of paper. In fact, I think a tree was cut just for me in order to create the massive paper pile on my desk. This actually has created a project for me to complete so that my resources will be well organized in case I ever need them. This is more frustrating them helpful.

Bit of a shock this week when I found out that I'm going to be teaching three discussion groups. Originally I thought this meant I just sit in a classroom and encourage the students to talk about the topics within the lectures, but I'm now finding out that I'm actually teaching content that is relative to the main course. I will have to do a syllabus, create activities and handouts, grade papers, hold office hours, attend the main class twice a week and hold three discussions groups all on the same day. All of this is a bit overwhelming considering I have never taught a class. I know I can do it, and I think I'll be great at it, but I just wasn't mentally prepared for it.

I am also very excited about suddenly and unexpectedly becoming a teacher. Didn't think this would happen for at least 4 yours, but hey...great job experience for when I finally earn my PhD. The class I'm teaching is about social inequalities, which is really my big deal within sociology. I love learning about social inequalities and often take a holistic approach to my research combining race, class and gender issues. I'm looking forward to presenting information to students that will provoke thought and help give them a way to articulate the different experiences they've had in life.

I also have my own office AND keys to the building. This is all very exciting you know! I share an office with another Graduate Teaching Fellow (GTF) who is also first year. He's also from Michigan, so that's fun. Everyone in my cohort seems pretty cool. All very different interests and experiences, which makes for some great conversations and an amazing support group. Everyone in the department, including faculty, staff, and other graduate students have been very welcoming and amazingly friendly.

Yeah, I definitely see this as the type of place I could spend the next 7 years of my life!