As I sit here, 10 hours into work (a few hours because of my own stupidity) ... I want to reflect back on the "good ol days" of taking exams. Oh how I miss the stressful studying, late nights (mine were mostly spent in the library - too bad "my spot" is now gone), caffeine, candy, and favorite music. It's amazing the sense of tension on campus and with each of my students. Each so busy with their own ways of "coping" with exam time - I don't know if I truly mind it all that much as the athletic training room was pretty empty today allowing me to get some much needed paperwork completed! (Shouldn't I be able to get that done during my normal day??)
I am here because I am wrapping up my final exam for Assessment of Athletic Injuries. I realize that my situation now isn't much different than when I was a student. Long days/nights, caffeine, music, stress... does it ever stop??? It's a tough balance creating an exam. I look back of the exams that I gave to the students last year and I thought, "wow, this is absolutely terrible". However, last year as I new professor, I thought I was doing a great job in a very difficult and daunting situation. I am sure next year I will look back at my 11-12 exams and think the same thing but this brings me a great sense of pride and accomplishment - I am evolving daily, weekly, monthly,yearly... and it's truly an amazing thing.
Being a dual role athletic trainer/professor is a challenging task and difficult to balance. How much of one thing is too much? Is it possible to give 100% in many roles simultaneously? Really makes me challenge and force myself to evaluate my goals in life. hmmmmmmm
One of these days I am going to get to a post about "the finer things of today's college student". But not now, definitely not tonight. That is a post that will require a great deal of energy as I know I will be fired up.
Until then, I will go and edit the heck out of this exam that I worked very hard for all semester, try to come down from my caffeine high and wish dearly for a massage of my upper traps.
I have this taped above my monitor on my desk and I found myself reading it over and over tonight.
"And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not." Gal 6:9
