Students’ Views

As I was thinking about it the other day, I realize that nothing I’ve done this year has been successful. My autonomy vs. shame conflict, which up to now had been successfully negotiated, is now in jeopardy. Or maybe it’s my initiative vs. guilt conflict… I always get those two confused.

So, I started out trying to get a Students for Obama group going. I was actually relieved when it didn’t work out because I felt I had over-committed myself, so I didn’t think much of it. This much I have said before in previous journals.

Well, not too long after that, our six-person team in Mock Trial lost two members, witnesses. Sarah, the President, said that we could find replacements.

Meanwhile, I start College Forward and begin teaching classes to Juniors at Georgetown High School. At the first meeting half the class comes up to me and starts to speak about time conflicts (mostly sport-related) and asks to move to the first class at 4pm (mine starts at 6pm). So now my class is full at 6 students, while the other one is well over twenty. Not only that, it seems I am incapable of having full attendance, so I usually have around 4 or 5 students. This is not a failure at all, but it certainly was not what I was expecting. Many good things come from a smaller class. But a steady, healthy number of ten would be much appreciated. I don’t really feel like I’m making an impact.

We quickly found replacements for our two witnesses, BUT, the other day I received a call from one of our attorneys. He says that one of our new witnesses is going to have to take medical leave from school. He told me about the first two witnesses wanting to quit, so I can’t find it in myself to doubt him, even though said witness hasn’t spoken to me about it yet. So again, it’s no one’s fault, someone has had a run of bad fortune in the realm of health, and no one is responsible. But again, our team is broken.

So I wouldn’t say that I’m depressed or anything. But I’m not happy about all of this.

However, there are some good things that are counterbalancing this lack of success trend. My grades in Research Methods are still high, I have hopes of retaining an A- in what is considered one of the toughest classes Southwestern has to offer. Also, this past Sunday was my girlfriend Jennifer’s and my one-year anniversary. We celebrated it last night. I took her to Dos Salsas, the Mexican restaurant down the street. I had the flauta plate and she had green cheese enchiladas. After that we went out onto the mall (large oval area of carpet grass- heart of the school) and watched the stars. We were able to detect about three satelites that looked like moving stars (not falling ones, those streak).

And Sunday we spent the whole day cutting up a pumpkin I had named Mr. Seeds Jr. Last year we had cut up the original Mr. Seeds, and had roasted his seeds and carved designs into him. This year we roasted the seeds of Mr. Seeds Jr. (it’s going to be my tradition) and made about six pies from real pie pumpkins (long-long process). We ate the pie with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream on top, fresh from the oven. MMMM…..good.

Mr. Seeds

So my life at the everyday level is fine, it’s just these over time trends that have been bothering me lately. Hopefully I can weather this out without letting it affect my overall contentment.