Although classes ended on Wednesday, today is officially the end of term. I’m waiting for final papers to come in and then it will be two days of solid grading. Except I’m already ahead of the game because I’m dealing with Carleton students: almost half of the final papers have been turned in early. That’s just one sign of the fact that teaching here is, so far, a real treat. When I was at UofC, we were told not to get used to teaching the undergraduates because wherever we ended up the students would, in all likelihood, not be nearly as good as UofC undergrads. I am lucky to be an exception to that “rule”. It’s not just that the students are smart. They are also eager and, what is perhaps most awesome from my point of view, compliant: everyone follows instructions, gets stuff in on time, and overall, creates very little “chasing-down” work for the prof.
They are also very down to earth. Perhaps the best indication of that can be seen outside campus buildings where students leave their bikes. Unlike at UofC, where a good chunk of the bikes are fixies, single-speeds or vintage Dutch-style bikes, almost all the bikes here are super-dorky, Target-brand mountain bikes. I myself ride, if not a hipster bike, then a not totally-uncool bike (vintage Miyata road bike), so I have no problem with hip bikes. But I do find it refreshing that the students here seem to have no concern for the hipster aesthetic whatsoever. They’re just plain dorks. And as someone who once dressed in uniform to go a Star Trek premier, I like that.
Here, in the tradition of Michael Green, is a picture of my class taken on the last day of term:
What a happy looking crew! It’s a great tradition to have. I love look back at those pictures a lot.
I won’t be done until mid-December. Classes end on the 9th of December, the next week is exam week, and grades are due December 23. So color me jealous.
Michael: just take a look at our weather come Dec 23rd and you’ll feel much, much better.
Congratulations, Dan, on wrapping up your first term! They must be good-natured dorks, indeed, to pose for a class photo! Or maybe they just really, really liked their prof!
Great picture and great idea to take one. I do agree with the thought that they must really like you!
You may be quirky, Daniel, but you are too socially at ease and fun to be a dork, in my book!
Congratulations on finishing your first term, and congratulations to us for having such a great colleague!
Ok – well – since tonight is MY last lecture, I am totally jealous as I am chasing down over 40 students for their research, yada yada yada. The picture idea is great…unfortunately, I don’t own a wide enough lens to accomodate 140 students…..oh to teach at Carleton!
Point well taken. I’ll have to remember that while I’m swimming in the outdoor pool. In fact, I’m feeling better already.
On another topic entirely, isn’t American Thanksgiving way too late? Well, it isn’t for those of us who live this far south. But for everyone else, I think the Canadians have the right day.