RockiesVille
When I was a (very) young and (very) junior science geek I went to a conference in Boulder Colorado.
It was during the summer and all the gradual students and post-docs stayed in the dorms on the University of Colorado campus. This led to the kind of late night hijinks, etc., that you might expect from kids from all over the world, unleashed. Personally, I was too freaked out with nervousness to participate in most of the fun given that I was presenting some of my very first experimental work in the last poster session of the meeting.
Poster sessions are kind of like a science fair where anybody can grill you on what you've push-pinned to the board. I've always found presenting data on a poster way more nerve-racking than giving a talk, despite the fact that the latter is much more prestigious.
Anyway.
The weird thing was that my boss at the time also stayed in the dorms with us rather than at one of the local hotels like just about all the other senior science folks did.
So, as we were packing up and getting ready to head to the airport at the end of meeting I asked N. why she hung out with us kids in the dorms and slept on the crummy beds the entire time.
She just laughed and said, "I like to be around all the youthful enthusiasm".
To be honest, I didn't know what she meant given that she most certainly didn't partake in the late night hijinks.
But I'm pretty sure I know what she means now, given that I am now one of the olds.
Case in point...
I spent the morning interviewing a bunch of young gradual students for a couple of teaching assistant positions I have coming up in the fall.
When I was a (very) young and (very) junior science geek I went to a conference in Boulder Colorado.
It was during the summer and all the gradual students and post-docs stayed in the dorms on the University of Colorado campus. This led to the kind of late night hijinks, etc., that you might expect from kids from all over the world, unleashed. Personally, I was too freaked out with nervousness to participate in most of the fun given that I was presenting some of my very first experimental work in the last poster session of the meeting.
Poster sessions are kind of like a science fair where anybody can grill you on what you've push-pinned to the board. I've always found presenting data on a poster way more nerve-racking than giving a talk, despite the fact that the latter is much more prestigious.
Anyway.
The weird thing was that my boss at the time also stayed in the dorms with us rather than at one of the local hotels like just about all the other senior science folks did.
So, as we were packing up and getting ready to head to the airport at the end of meeting I asked N. why she hung out with us kids in the dorms and slept on the crummy beds the entire time.
She just laughed and said, "I like to be around all the youthful enthusiasm".
To be honest, I didn't know what she meant given that she most certainly didn't partake in the late night hijinks.
But I'm pretty sure I know what she means now, given that I am now one of the olds.
Case in point...
I spent the morning interviewing a bunch of young gradual students for a couple of teaching assistant positions I have coming up in the fall.
By the end of the session I was all charged up by their ideas and suggestions, not to mention their enthusiasm.
And, now, instead of looking ahead to the fall teaching schedule with dread, I'm almost looking forward to it.
Almost.
_______
Don't get me wrong. I actually enjoy teaching and I'm not that bad at it...It's just that at this time of the year there's a real feeling of freedom to concentrate entirely on the research side of the equation...Once the teaching starts up again in the fall that feeling often evaporates...
And, now, instead of looking ahead to the fall teaching schedule with dread, I'm almost looking forward to it.
Almost.
_______
Don't get me wrong. I actually enjoy teaching and I'm not that bad at it...It's just that at this time of the year there's a real feeling of freedom to concentrate entirely on the research side of the equation...Once the teaching starts up again in the fall that feeling often evaporates...
And, from the Bloggodome, local Lotuslandian division...If you haven't been by Norm Farrell's place lately, get over their pronto...He's on fire!
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2 comments:
Its a good way to stay young.
When people suggest an over 55 condo or some such thing, my response is, absolutely not. Its full of old people. You loose touch with the real world then.
All the spirit and energy young people have keeps us going.
enjoy the summer.
'It's full of old people'
Now that's a phrase that gives me the willies, despite the fact that pretty much every non work-related gathering I find myself in these days...
Well?
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