"Anything I've ever done
that was ultimately worthwhile
initially scared me to death."
~ Betty Bender
Last week I celebrated my tenth year at my job. I’ve let go of the
administrator role of department chair (yay!) and reduced a good amount of my
service that has been weighing heavily on me for a few years. So now it’s just
me back to teaching, which is what I really love doing.
 |
| My classroom door! |
I’m also going back to graduate school for a degree in Public History because
why not! :D I’ve probably mentioned before that my young adult dream job was to
become a tour guide; and, along with the Guide School I was in a few years ago
and giving tours at the cemetery, I am developing a Dark Tourism course for my
university. The Public History program hopefully will give me more of a foundation
to go along with my street cred :p
This semester I am taking two graduate courses. One course is a graduate
introduction course to the major so I really have to have it to meet future prerequisites,
which translates to a very complicated Monday commute. If you thought a three
hour one way commute was nuts, you’ll now think I’m seriously a bit off. After
teaching, I will leave campus at 2pm to catch a 2:30 train that will get me to
my town close to 5pm. At that point, I’ll drive in rush hour traffic to reach
the university around 6pm (if all works as planned) for my 6:30pm class start
time. About 4 hrs one way. Yep. But you do what you have to do, right?!?
Even though I’m inside a classroom all the time, I was completely freaked
out about being a student again. I'm trying to remind myself that this is
supposed to be fun; that I already have a job that I love and I don't need this
degree; and, that it's ridiculous to feel so anxious. But, this is who I am. Last
weekend, we walked the University of Richmond campus so that I could feel that
I understood where everything is located. We fit in just fine on their move-in
weekend because we looked like parents of a new freshman as we walked around
the campus. Ha!
Although I’ve grown up in this area, I have never walked the campus. I have
no idea why because this place is beautiful!
Last week was my orientation. When I left the building, I noticed fluttering
above my head. I had to stop count at about bat #30! With beautiful old buildings
and breathtaking grounds, the bats have the perfect environment.
Of course, their mascot is the Spiders! While we walked around campus, my
fella pointed out spiders that were incorporated into the landscape.
We also found a pleasant surprise when we discovered a columbarium and
memorial garden which is located on the east side of the Henry M. Cannon
Memorial Chapel and is available for those interested in having the university
as their final resting place.
 |
| A reminder from the universe |
Your live will keep me from be so lazy.
ReplyDeleteHa! I look forward to your blog posts about your adventures!
DeleteThis sounds super exciting! I hope you'll love being a student again. :) That campus is indeed lovely and I can't get my mind around the fact that the have Spiders as mascots! Are they not worried that an average person might have a negative image of spiders?
ReplyDeleteIt's funny, Jade. I've grown up in the area and always heard about their sports teams "The Richmond Spiders" this and that but never thought anything of it. I think it just becomes the background noise if you're from a place. Not sure if it's the same in Finland but the US has vanity plates for cars where one can select a college, organization, or even a hobby. The license plate looks a little different in color than the traditional plate and/or it has an emblem. Usually if you do this, a donation goes to a charity too. The University of Richmond has a spider on the plates. I've always thought they were rather cool. Hopefully this link will work. Someone is selling an old plate and you can see the picture: http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/142048188114?lpid=82&chn=ps&ul_ref=http%253A%252F%252Frover.ebay.com%252Frover%252F1%252F711-117182-37290-0%252F2%253Fmtid%253D1588%2526kwid%253D1%2526crlp%253D53601919689_324272%2526itemid%253D142048188114%2526targetid%253D186358916649%2526rpc%253D0.06%2526rpc_upld_id%253D75432%2526device%253Dm%2526mpre%253Dhttp%25253A%25252F%25252Fwww.ebay.com%25252Fulk%25252Fitm%25252Flike%25252F142048188114%25253Flpid%25253D82%252526chn%25253Dps%2526adtype%253Dpla%2526googleloc%253D9008375%2526poi%253D9008454%2526campaignid%253D239125209%2526adgroupid%253D14978428809%2526rlsatarget%253Dpla-186358916649%2526gclid%253DCPyt372-5c4CFcwlgQodKDQPkw%2526srcrot%253D711-117182-37290-0%2526rvr_id%253D1084395925418&ul_noapp=true
DeleteThat plate with a spider is super cute! And I am not criticizing them for the choice of mascot, on the contrary, I think it is marvelous. :) I guess this is sort of a Finland thing because with such a small population, universities have to consider everyone in their image: they need to be sort of mainstream in order to appeal to every possible student.
DeleteNot at all :) I think you have a good point and you piqued by curiosity because I never even questioned it. Like I mentioned, I grew up with it so it just seemed "normal" :p Apparently the spider mascot has to do with sports. The book _University of Richmond Campus History Series_ by Jules Reuben Alley gives credit to Mr. Chesterman and said he reported that the lanky pitcher “seemed to take to the field with his fellow teammates as a spider in a web.” An article in the February 1920 issue of The Collegian suggested that “the spider was the synonym of success, good judgment and painstaking perseverance.” The idea of the spider as the University mascot became permanent. The University of Richmond is the only college in the U.S. to have this unique mascot. :D
DeleteOh, thank you for sharing that! Such a peculiar part of history, and shows how people make things (in this case spiders) symbolize very different things in different times and places. :D
DeleteSpiders are their mascot? That's so cool!!! And what a pretty campus -- I can see you reading for class outside by the garden ... once it cools down a bit, that is. GOOD LUCK.
ReplyDeleteThanks! It's a gorgeous campus. I'm hoping to sit out to read for sure. I'm just going to be so distracted by all the nature around me :D
DeleteWhat beautiful pictures and I love the iron spider. I would be as nervous as you, I think of it as taking a deep breath and jumping off the high diving board. Take that deep breath before opening the door and when you jump in I bet you are going to love it. Hope that rush hour drive doesn't get too slow.
ReplyDeleteLast Monday was my first class and I already love both of my courses. The traffic was pretty bad last week but I hadn't started teaching so I had plenty of time.
DeleteWhat a beautiful place! And the spiders seem like a good sign!
ReplyDelete