I just got back (last week) from a wonderful vacation. Some backpacking, some beaching, a decent bit of travel, and a whole lot of reading. Completely disconnected with a shit load of emails to attend to when I got back. My inbox is officially completely read. Also, my students didn’t go too off the rails. Maybe because they also didn’t work much. Recharging is healthy. It’s needed. I’ve always been of the standpoint that I don’t want to regret not having spent enough time on myself and my friends/family.
As someone addicted to work, I felt so weird taking this vacation. I would only do, at most, a week a couple times a year of vacation before. This multiweek endeavor was pretty tough at first, but eventually I disconnected and I’m so glad. I felt ready to take on the world when I came back. And one big difference between this and my industry job: I didn’t get any shit for taking the time off. I used to get shit all the time for taking ‘me’ time. I’m pretty sure my students were actually kind of glad I was gone.
In industry, everything moved so fast that if I was gone I fell behind, and the mentality is usually: ‘If you can take a lot of time off, and the company continue on, then they don’t need you. You have to constantly prove your worth.’ Well now, I didn’t have to prove anything. I just came back and everything picked up just fine. Plus, my students seem refreshed. Plus, I look great with a tan.
academic infiltration 