Back to school

It's that time of year.  The new freshmen arrive on campus so full of excitement and hope.  Their parents are so nervous hoping that they will thrive away from home (and that the big tuition bill is worth it).   The parking lot that was only half full all summer is now packed.  The building is humming with students and events.

I longingly look at my to-do list once manageable and now filling with items.  The manuscripts unfinished fall by the wayside.  The papers to-read are buried in the pile.  The emails requesting meeting from everyone under the sun are rolling in.  My happy calendar with big blocks of time to work is no more.

Farewell summer, I will miss you.  Not the hot, humid days and boiling car at night, but expanse of time to think and work on scholarship.

Don't get me wrong, I like teaching and students, with their excitement and enthusiasm.  But I will miss the carefree days of summer that always go by too fast.  And, my list of summer items that never gets done before fall rolls around again.

Now on to my new departmental leadership role and the extra items it entails....