Teaching... it's not for wussies....

So, on my weekly stop by Starbuck's yesterday, the barista taking my order asked if I was out doing my Christmas shopping....  of course, my first thought was, "huh?" and my second, for various I'm-an-adjunct-and-have-no-money-and-I'm-doing-a-handmade-Christmas-kinda reasons, was "Hells no!"  So, I nicely told her that no, I was on my way to Tampa to give an exam.  She, of course, as many do, misunderstood, and thought I said I was on my way to take an exam.  Happens a lot. Guess I don't look like a prof...  I'm okay with that, really...  So, once I had her understanding that I WAS the prof, and was GIVING the exam, she did the same thing so many others do... "Oh, well, that's easier than taking it."  Really?  For true?

Okay, maybe in some disciplines.  But, I teach ENGLISH!  For one, I don't actually give exams... I give Final Essays (usually on Shakespeare.  Cuz I'm evil and I can...  insert evil emoticon here... :)) On one exam day, I'm usually not just taking one essay from students.  I'm taking 2...  times the 15-20 students who have actually survived the class...  times 3-4 classes. Per college...  And they ALL have to be graded in 2-4 days...  Yeah.  Easier?  Not so much, really....  

Finals week has begun.  The week I hate.  The week I get emails from students asking for extensions (no.  there are NO extensions).  The week I send emails trying to track down that one (or five) student(s) who had almost everything in, and who I'm trying really hard to not fail....  (yeah, I'm a closet softie... don't let it get around...)

So, teaching? Yeah... It's not for wussies.  It's for folks with lots and lots of COFFEE!

and don't get me started on trying to deal with Christmas at the same time....