The truth of it is that the first six are a given anyway, so, rather than think of it as twelve hours I had convinced myself that it was actually only six extra hours - thus making it a little more palatable. And of course, the indelicacy of my chauffeur did not change the reality of this, though I was a little perturbed at the time.
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Workload
The truth of it is that the first six are a given anyway, so, rather than think of it as twelve hours I had convinced myself that it was actually only six extra hours - thus making it a little more palatable. And of course, the indelicacy of my chauffeur did not change the reality of this, though I was a little perturbed at the time.
Co-op Program
I didn't have a lot of doubt, of course, but realism must always play its part in the emotional equation. If the Co-op program had fallen through I would have had to find another way to secure my experience, but being enrolled will definitely have its advantages.
In the Co-op program a student goes through the process of applying for "summer" jobs, then, once accepted he goes to work - doing the things he is learning in class, working (and networking) with people in his chosen field, being graded on his efforts by his employer, and gathering useful work experience for his resume.
Being enrolled gives access to resume assistance, to interview practice and procedure, and to a Co-op-specific student job board. In the ideal scenario the student gains experience, learns about his chosen field in the real world - not just the halls of academia - earns money to pay tuition, and makes friends.
I have been a little conflicted about it all, of course. Part of me feels that the spirit of the program intends it for young people, but really that that's just my sense of the universe at work, so I dismiss it. I am eligible, so why wouldn't I apply? Besides, in career transition my needs are as great as the youngsters' - perhaps even greater - so it's actually a no-brainer.
The first workshop is this afternoon and I am looking forward to it.
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Distractions
There seems to be a bit more group work so far this term, and the marks of two classes appear to be heavily dependent on it. This is a little disconcerting since it can be difficult to divvy up the work appropriately, with folks' various talents leveraged and the work assigned evenly. We will see how that works out in the long term. Hmm, seems a little like management to me. I suppose as the reigning old fart I must assume a key role in this.
My best friend continues with his radiation therapy, with side effects now coming on full bore. I wouldn't be in his shoes for anything - although it could be worse: he could be enduring chemo. This is all a major distraction at times as I worry for him and try to stay positive without being trite. "Stay positive" I say. "I'm positive it hurts" he replies. Thanks to his treatments I've taken to doing jigsaw puzzles again - they are very therapeutic. I work on them in the hospital when I'm with him for his treatments, and on the bar at home in the basement to wind down in the evening.
Time passes so quickly when you're working a puzzle: "just one more piece, ooh just one more piece, there's one, just one more." Always just one more piece, and before you know it it's 11 o'clock not 10, and you've lost an hour of sleep. Oh well, it's therapeutic.
It's all good.
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Camaraderie
Thursday, January 12, 2012
Creaks and Groans
It's week number one. I've enjoyed first and second lectures in all my new courses but one - and it looks as if they're all going to be fascinating to me. The best part, though, is that the knowledge in the courses is overlapping. The rhetoric course teaches some of the same points as the Public Relations course, and so on. This is the very best way to study. It's reinforcement - what we used to call "revision" in my youth - and is an absolute must, and it is all the more effective if it's not saved only for the last week before exams and quizzes - it should be ongoing, continuous reinforcement of concepts and facts.
I don't suppose I look it, but I feel smarter than last semester. I have a better idea of what the teachers are up to, and what they expect. You'd think I'd have that down from my last degree, wouldn't you - but you'd also be surprised what you can forget in twenty years.
I attended the Co-Op interview. Interesting, interesting... Good questions, good answers. Bright, young students, careful, concerned - oh, and me. I have an advantage over the youngsters, though. I know that they were very nervous about the interview, but I wasn't. Clearly, I've been through that kind of thing before - and in the scheme of things that particular interview ranked quite low on my stress-o-meter. Aside from anything else, as the ranking old fart in the room (including the interviewers!) I have absolutely no right to be nervous, so I was my own relaxed, ebullient self - I answered my questions clearly, with lucidity and aplomb, and even chimed in to ensure there was dialogue where it felt like it might flag.
There was one girl - no names (actually I don't remember it) - a sweetheart, really, a slip of a girl, very pretty, with all sorts of earnestness and enthusiasm. She seemed very nice to me, but in part of the answer to one of her questions she actually went out of her way to downplay the importance of the part-time job she works at. She said "It's really not all that important, is it?"
Okay, now this is a fundamental interview error - I know this to be true - and as the resident old fart I made a point of drawing everyone's attention to the enormous importance of first-rate customer service skills which you learn in a job like hers. The interviewers both agreed with me and we moved on.
Afterwards, though, on our way out the door I asked the girl if she minded a little advice - she said not at all so I suggested something that would help her in the future.
Using my best, most eloquent Toastmaster happy-sandwich evaluation method I told her that she came across very well in the interview, then re-affirmed that she should never sell herself short, then reinforced that she clearly has excellent communication abilities. I told her that - for the future (because she was very good today, no problem) she should be sure to emphasize only positive aspects of her experience - that she should learn to think of mundane things in glorious terms.
The poor girl burst out crying! I couldn't believe it! She burst out crying. I apologized left, right, and center - I really had been gentle and diplomatic, and I really had only meant the absolute best for her. My motives were 100% pure, and yet there she was - crying!
I kept apologizing. I asked her why she was crying (I really could not conceive it). She was crying so persistently that for a while I actually couldn't get a word in. Finally I was able to calm her down a bit and explain again that she had done very well indeed in the interview, my thoughts were only for future reference. There she went again.!
Omigosh, what to do? What to do? I have never seen anything like that in my life. Ultimately we parted company. I watched her walking down the hallway, snuffling all the way to the first corner, and away.
I don't think I said anything inherently wrong. On analysis of the moment I think there may (must) have been something else at work that elicited that kind of reaction. Even so, I felt absolutely rotten to the core.
Rotten. So rotten that I stewed on the incident for at least 20 minutes before I realized that I couldn't let it lie. So I returned to the interviewers and was lucky to find them still working in their office. I explained what had happened, explained that I sincerely hope that the poor girl's marks are good enough to get her into the program because if they aren't it's going to be like some kind of personality-reinforcing horror for her and she's going to hate me for the rest of her days.
I'm glad I got it off my chest with the interviewers. They thanked me for sharing the story and told me not to worry about it, which is all well and good but I'm still blown away by the poor dear's reaction. It would simply never occur to me that anything I could say to anybody would make them cry, so her reaction was a real shock.
Anyway, I have moved on because I must. Results? I won't know that for a couple of weeks. I haven't heard from the recruiter since before school started again, so I'm not assuming anything there. Life washes over me and I watch it happen.
J
Monday, January 9, 2012
Resumption of innocence
School is in again and I've had my first class in Rhetoric. It looks like it will be quite stimulating - no rote learning, per se - rather class participation and many smaller assignments. I've already read the first eight chapters of the text book and I must say it is very well written - humorous and inculcative - what better combination can there be?
With the first semester now well and truly out of the way I am looking forward to getting stuck in to the new material. All the courses except General Studies are now core communications courses, which means they will be more focused, and they'll overlap somewhat. This will be most useful. Additionally, with the first semester under my belt I am educated once again on expectations and styles. I don't think there will be any surprises this time around.
Resolutions? I resolve to be more ahead of my reading assignments this time - that is one thing that will bite you every time. I'm also going to start my written assignments earlier. I wasn't late with any of them last semester, but there were a couple of times when I had to 'hustle my buns' to get the thing done: admittedly a little too close for comfort.
My Coop interview is tomorrow. I don't know if I'll be accepted for the program, or not. Obviously I'd like to be - a little off-season income would certainly be nice - but it's not the end of the world either way. As of right now I'm a dedicated student, with my nose buried in my books and a determination to match.
J.
James m