A semester ended and another began. Those are busy times. Schedules of all sorts have to be urgently and constantly updated, revised, and replaced. Chats fly on work WhatsApp groups. Meetings are convened, met, dismissed, and canceled. Workshops are mandated. Grab-and-go emergency boxes must be updated. Old flyers, handouts, and announcements must be discarded. Everybody must be welcomed back, even though one met them only a few days ago.
This is one of the many reasons I do not understand the hullaballoo surrounding New Year's Eve. What is the fuss about? All this gets done every few months anyway! I do not mean the carpe diem parties or the horrible fireworks although I am sure that both could be part of the semester-ending celebrations in some circles. I mean the renewals, the refreshing, and the revisions. I also mean the Big Cleaning. Thankfully, I don't have to do the Big Cleaning at work, but I must get it done.
There are no classes in the few days between semesters, but unlike my wont, I still have to be at work. I appreciate the peace, but I do not appreciate the desolation that rules. When I come in, the entire section is dark. Some light filters in through the library, just enough to see where to lower oneself to be seated as one waits for security to come and unlock doors. Once in, I do switch on all lights, but even though the walls of my writing center are glass, nothing can be seen beyond them. It feels as though I am ensconced in a bulb.
Despite the desolation outside, days fly away. Before I know it, there is a knock on the door, reminding me to leave. I tend to complete most of my tasks before the in-between begins, thinking that I would bring books and read when there is no one around. However, I never get to the book; new flyers must be printed and pinned. Changes to all PowerPoint files must be made. Orientations and their schedules must be honed.
I have been living this busy in-between for years now. Yet I have lists of movies to watch, TV series to catch up on, and books to finish during what used to be my "break." I don't think that I will ever truly realize that this in-between is no break.
Thankfully, somehow, the in-between has been blustered through and today is the first afternoon in weeks that I can take a few minutes to reflect on the latest in-between. It is still early in the semester and just a few students are sprinkled around, working on their assignments. I think that this might be one of the easier times of the semester rather than the in-between-that-used-to-be-break.
But hold! What do I see? A class is lining up to log into the writing center; they have an orientation in a few minutes. I must go and begin the semester for these students.
