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All content copyright 2010 by Chelsea Biondolillo. Seriously.

Sunday, April 3, 2011

365 days of being a writer: day 228

Today begins the last week of wondering. I am tired of not having a decision!

My prediction is that no one will turn down Wyoming. How could they? And on Friday, I will choose between Texas Tech and Kansas State. But there are miles to go before then. The longest week ever.

I got some work done on my birding essay. It has more focus, and a braided now/then structure. I am still thinking through how I want it to end--how I want to close up the arc. And today wasn't the best day for birds at the botanical garden (though I did see an unidentified raptor, possibly a Cooper's Hawk) but it was still a good day. 

 Dakota Verbena with Perry Penstemons
 Eastern Fence Lizard
Buckeye

I have been wondering about the workload for the MA. I wish someone could quantify it for me against a 40 hour a week cubicle job, or grocery store gig. Most of the students who talk about always being in a crunch have never had to work 8 to 5 all week. Not that I am assuming a lighter workload at all, just that there is little objective comparison out there. I will be in class for 9 hours a week, I will have office hours/grading for some amount of time, and then have around 25-30 hours a week for studying/school writing. Then, just like now, I will try to get some writing done outside of class. (Though, probably not quite as much.) Does that leave time to workout and knit and have a beer with the cohort every now and then?

2 comments:

Maya said...

so I was in a writing MA program at a different school, but maybe a bit of my experience will help shed some light? I was in class 8 hrs/week, fall and winter semesters, 4 hrs in the summer. I didn't teach, but I did work. I had a 20hr/week gig assisting a local author during my first year of school, and then worked full time at a university for the second year (yeah, that was insane). I was also involved with the graduate literary journal, though only as a proofreader so that didn't demand too much of my time. All that, and yes--I managed to have a life! Spent a good amt of study/writing time with friends at the library, got out on the weekends, random dinners or beers on weeknights, etc. I think it's inherent in being in school that you always feel like something is hanging over your head, but you have to step away from it sometimes.

So excited for you! Good luck! You'll do great.

Chelsea said...

Maya, I never got the notification of this awesome comment!

Thank you so much for the stats--they are definitely encouraging (and I am so happy that the teaching load at Wyoming is only 1/1).

And thank you for the encouragement last year that kept me writing even when it felt hopeless. I really appreciate that.