It’s college finals time, a special time that only comes twice a year and, as the title of this post suggests, has certain traditions associated with it.
As does Hogswatch.*
Maybe that’s the reason I simply cannot concentrate on writing and revisions. The steady pace of the college semester is replaced by two weeks of constant motion for everyone in the college community – be they adjuncts, or students or professors. I’m just an adjunct, but there are still plenty of emails to send, and plans to be made and grades to be given. People who might be employing me over the summer break need to be called and emailed. Letters of all kinds must be sent.
So it could be that’s what’s breaking my stride this week as I try to buckle down and work. Writing has been unreasonably difficult this week. I find myself staring out the window at weather that’s not so great. Or zoning out in front of my computer with a blank document open in front of me. Or clicking on Yahoo! News items. (“Star’s incredible transformation into Linda Lovelace!” “Kim dates Kanye!” “Mom takes toddler tanning!”) Or typing the same words three times and then deleting it all and cleaning the bathroom instead.
Really? What happened to all that April productivity?
It could be the changed pace of finals that’s throwing me off.
Or it could be my birthday, which falls this month. My mother used to say that as soon as my birthday rolled around every year, summer would begin for me and me alone. In my mind, my birthday heralded the start of a big ol’ Festival of Ann that started in May and stretched into the summer. I thought I’d abandoned that mindset in middle school, but hey, maybe my 34-year-old self is trying to regress.
Whatever it is, I’m going to beat it down with a word count of 500 words a day, even if they are 500 awful words a day. And I plan to do that while writing letters of recommendation. Even if I’m staring out the window between paragraphs.
* See below for the Terry Pratchett clip I’m paraphrasing. Recognize someone from Downton Abbey? You’re welcome.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rdk7eAZ4X2o&w=560&h=315]
I feel there are certain times of year when you simply have to anticipate this is going to happen … and forgive yourself. Try to keep to your writing as much as possible, but recognize that some days it’s just not going to happen, and try to make up for it other days 🙂
Thank you, Erin. I agree with you one hundred percent, and in fact, this is the exact advice I’d give to someone else, but when it’s me, I can’t help but beat myself up over it!
Oh, I know – I’m the same way!