Spring teaching schedule

Yesterday I learned what my teaching schedule will be in the spring -- MWF, 8-8:50 a.m. and 10-10:50 a.m. Ouch! One thing to understand is that I live an hour north of campus (assuming I don't hit any traffic backups going through Austin), so just to make sure I make it to class on time and allow plenty of time for commuter parking, I will need to leave the house between 6:15-6:30.

Besides that, I'm thinking that I will have a high student absenteeism, especially on Fridays. Most of the classes offered at the university are MW or TTH so a lot of students don't have Friday classes and when they do take them, they have a tendency to skip. I don't tend to be a hardass, but I think I am going to have to be. I figure if I can get my tail out of bed and traverse through traffic, they can get there.

But there are a couple of upsides:

1. I only have to go down to San Marcos 3 days a week instead of 4.
2. By getting there so early, I can park close. There is a commuter lot down the hill from Old Main, so I won't have to wait for the bus.
3. Since my classes are basically back-to-back, it makes it easier for guest speakers. Right now I have trouble to find the same guest speaker to come two days in a row.
4. I will be done by noon; and I have two days off in the middle of the week.

Unlike previous semesters, I won't be taking any night classes. I only need one class, plus my thesis. The class I am taking will be an intensive, three-week course, that meets Friday nights and all day Saturdays. So I will have three Fridays where I start at 8 a.m. and end 9 p.m., then drive home, go to bed, and get back up early the next morning and head back to class.

But after those weeks, it will be okay.