This is my first full week back to work.  Holden is now back to daycare 5 days a week, and I am spending time in my new office.  So far, I love my job.  I love the people, the camaraderie, and the fact that people seem to genuinely care about doing a good job (while also maintaining some semblance of work-life balance).

My course preps are coming along—I am teaching 2 sections of Intro, plus a section of Cognitive.  I have previewed the majority of the labs, I’ve read all of the textbooks, designed most of the assignments, and now I am putting together in-class demonstrations.  I am definitely experiencing last-minute jitters.  I wonder whether my classes will be informative and engaging, and whether I will fit in with the mission of this particular college.  So far this summer, I have successfully established two internship programs with local companies/nonprofit organizations.  Hopefully, this will help me in my job application process because guess what—they are already accepting applications for my position for next year.  I signed a one-year contract and now I have to apply for my current job if I want to keep it.  I feel like I have been applying for jobs for years—mostly because I have.

The students return in just a couple weeks.  I will be there for orientation weekend, greeting the incoming students and my new advisees.  I teach my first classes on August 30th.  Summer is over and my time of spending (mostly) carefree days with H is behind me.  I had a wonderful time with Holden this summer, and I hope that I get most of next summer off too, so that we can do it all over again.