office hours

I woke this morning daydreaming about cancelling office hours today, since I don't get many customers-- one at most -- and this is the day before an exam. Whatever -- there was no miracle that would enable me to send a regretful mass email to the class. But so the wishful fantasy lasted until I received an email from a student asking for assistance. I show up half an hour early so as to do some prep work -- ugh, I was somewhat scattered, let me tell you -- and one student popped in and then two and finally ten students showed up in the graduate reading room (aka "my office"). I explained some concepts, but not a whole lot. I asked the group what they all thought or planned to say about certain passages and whatnot. Honestly they did most of the work, bouncing off ideas left and right; it was a nice collaborative effort, though I felt like at times I couldn't really provide enough guidance and thus felt a little inadequate; but that's okay, I guess, since I couldn't really give ready-made answers just so they can regurgitate them. As class came to a close, two students came up to submit their exams and thanked me. I smiled and nodded, of course. Happy. I only hope that some clarity came out of these maniacal crunch periods. I speculate about their lives, no doubt, particularly because most of the students are graduating this year. Remember many late studying for those dreadful in-class passage ID exams? or when you just wanted to graduate and break free? Ugh, okay so I'm grading this weekend -- the fun never stops.