Well, It's actually past Half-Time, and if I would be talking to my 8th-graders, it is now down to crunch time... So what do I feel at this point besides utter exhaustion? Some words that are in my brain: overwhelmed, way behind, confused.
While the majority of my assignments are not necessarily extreme on how to use brain power to complete them, they are extreme at the pace they are presented and when they are due.
Besides the case studies we have to do on the topics we all voted on, we have these side-bar activities that are usually more instantaneously than the bigger projects. And these make me feel as if I am torn into several directions at the same time. Multi-Tasking is no longer just an idea, it is a power verb. The CVP with the students of Japan is taking the most out of me, as in frustration, the same individual keeps missing out on synchronous meetings, while language issues seem to be the main culprit...I get it, having to express yourself in a language that you feel uncomfortable with, does take a toll on people, but when you are in a college or graduate setting, that should not be a reason on why you shouldn't attend an online meeting.
The Twitter curation was fun, as it gave me another way to convince myself I'm not as old as I think I am, and that I can still learn new Social Media tricks...and it gets me to connect with people who feel they should follow me, although I do not have the foggiest idea on who they are, or where they are. Social now means also Global. I like that!
The TCCfx2015 event was fun to attend, especially since most of the people who presented, are also people who are or have been in my graduate level classes as my peers or as my teaching assistants. I enjoyed the join.me means better than the conferencing tools that were used during the past Spring TCC conference, the only thing I wished I had done, is find way on how to save the presentation and resources people shared in their presentations.
When I attended the Google Global Summit on Oahu, just days after TCC, all presenters shared links to their resources via Google Drive, and even though it has been over 6 months, I still have access to these resources...TCCfx2015 was just days ago, and I cannot access any of the links I saved or wrote down. And now I have to reflect on this...ARGH...I was too busy chatting in the chat box, which then in turn made me forget to tweet enough times. Ah! That leads me to my big brain-teaser: I tweeted a few times via my desktop TweetDeck...these tweets never showed in my Twitter app on my phone nor in Twitter desktop version; they only show on TweetDeck, and I did use the correct #! I accidentally spelled a # wrong for our periscope assignment-that's creepy that people across the world can view your live video, and then make hearts appear on the screen. I guess dyslexic Devil worshippers sell their soul to Santa on Twitter this way!
My other class I am taking for my Master's is also having a major paper due at the same time that the class I am writing this blog for has several big items due. I sometimes wished professors would check in with each other on their pacing and assignments, but now I am thinking as a Middle School teacher.
I guess, my 2-cents for future Grad students: don't work 2 jobs while taking 2/3-time or full-time graduate classes...pace yourself, keep a written calendar or planner, start working on assignments early, don't hope your team partners will do all the work, initiate group meetings or documents, and BREATHE!
And then, take a sick day from work to catch up on your assignments...I say that is OK, I just took my first (not-so) sick day ever -I was out sick only 12 days in my whole elementary to high school career, and only was out 2 weeks from my job to work because of my husbands' open-heart surgery so I could be with him- to work on assignments and read up on articles for assignments. I did have a fever and body-aches, but I don't think it's the flu!
Hang in there folks! I know it's the last, hard stretch, but it will be worth it, regardless of the frustrations, difficulties, etc. Crack open a bottle of your favorite beverage, work on your assignments, breathe, and make sure you get enough sleep!
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