The bottle of sunscreen isn’t even empty and it’s already time to start thinking about falling leaves, pumpkin candles and football games. Ok, it might still be a bit early for those things, but it’s certainly past time to begin planning for fall classes.
The Chronicle for Higher Education’s Prof. Hacker did a round-up post on 5 Things that Helped Us Survive Summer. I did my own version as well.
The Chronicle neglected to think ahead to fall, but I did not. As we prepare to start the new semester, I’ve identified 5 Things I’ll Need for Fall Survival.
1. Google calendar
My calendar already looks like a strange paint-by-numbers. Between teaching at two universities, advising student media, working to complete my Ph.D., and juggling activities for two kids, there’s already a lot on the fall schedule.
2. Panera Bread rewards card
I am more productive at Panera Bread than I am at any of my three offices. There is just something about the whirl of the espresso machine and the rich earth-tone décor that gives me incredible focus. Since I’ll be writing most of the fall, I expect to spend a lot of time at my favorite coffee shop near campus.
3. iPad and iMac
I know I cheated by naming two things, but they’re the same brand so I thought I could lump them together. I much prefer to work on my iMac because I love the large screen. I hope that doesn’t say anything about my age. What may be more telling is that I much prefer to teach from my iPad so I don’t have to lug my laptop around campus.
4. Coach tote
My sister-in-law bought me a fabulous Coach tote for my birthday in June. It is the perfect size to carry my iPad and other teaching materials, while doubling as a purse. I intend to buy a “fall” version of the same sized bag to use during the winter months. A good bag is a necessity for a professor.
5. Advil
I almost put wine here, but who has the time or energy for that during the academic year? I went for the handy stress headache reliever instead, although I’m hoping for a semester without stress. Hey, a girl can dream, right?
Let’s Talk Nerdy!
What’s on your “must have” survival list for the fall?
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