I'm so friggen spoiled!

[dreadpirateange]

Okay, so I get a letter from the place that accepted me, telling me that all of the stuff they will be paying for me amounts to $145,000.

And instead of going "Wah-HEY, I don't even know what that kind of cash looks like!" I think "Oh poo, I'll have to teach 20 hours a week for it."

What the hell is wrong with me?

Why is it that when I get my heart's desire, my heart moves on to something even more unattainable before I even have enough time to celebrate?

Other people would kill to be in the position I am in. Heck, last week, I would have killed to be in the position I am in now. Someone from a family like mine should never have had an opportunity like this.

I am excited. I *AM* excited.

I am so pissed off with myself for not appreciating this more.

Comments

[tigg.livejournal.com]

Trust me, the 20 hours a week thing doesn't usually work out that way. You will probably have weeks that are far less work. I'm spending about 5 hours a week in class (sitting in on the lectures, TAing 2 sections), plus I do 2 office hours each week, plus about an hour of prep.

That's about 8 hours a week, which is really nothing in the scheme of things (Particularly when you consider that in my program, the TA responsibilities take the place of a third class).

Now, the weeks when they turn things in? Yeah, that'll put you at 20 or more. but that's not all the time.

[dreadpirateange.livejournal.com]

That's a relief, at least.

I'm afraid I'll burst out laughing with a bunch of 17-year-old's eyes on me, thinking that I'm all knowing and will have the answers they need to graduate.

Ah, but for the days I was that naive!

[tigg.livejournal.com]

What I've found really great in my program is that the profs constantly remind us that we don't need to know everything, that it's okay to tell a student we don't know something and will either look it up - or heck, tell THEM to look it up. :)

Also, I don't know about other programs, but I'm guessing this will ring true for many programs - we aren't guaranteed TA positions for courses in our field. I lucked out this semester, but I've got a friend who TA'd a holocaust course (and he does American 20th century history). So, in a case like that, you may know NOTHING, aside from the reading you do for the course.

Oh yeah: also expect that 20 hours to include the time you spend reading for the course. :)

[dreadpirateange.livejournal.com]

I'll see if I can get in contact with a current grad student to see. What you are describing sounds like something I'd enjoy doing...

20 hours of *actual* teaching, plus preparation for those 20 hours sounds like hell.

It definitley will make all the difference.

[tigg.livejournal.com]

There's no way it'll be 20 hours of *actual* teaching per week. Since it's a state school (I believe?), you may have more than 2 sections to TA, but at most, you should have, perhaps, 4 sections, plus sitting in on lecture. That is: they shouldn't have you as a TA for more than one course per semester. Depending on size of courses, etc., that would determine the number of sections you TA - but 20 hours usually includes the prep time and everything. TAing is considered part-time, in conjunction with your regular work - so while you may have a week or two each term when your actual work approaches 30-40 hours (due to grading), this should be the EXCEPTION, and certainly not the norm. I think most of us actually end up working less than 20 hours most weeks.