Fish out of water, making our way back in! Let us learn how to swim! Navigating in the new terrain of education. To avoid sinking within many unfamiliar waves. And to set boundaries in our day to day lives. All the ideas seem like a far outstretched perception to keep our heads barely above water. But not for Fish. Fish argues that academicizing refers to "detaching concept from context & real-world urgency. (Pg. 27)" In acts to separate the discipline from the human. The question then, we must ask: How do we separate our lives from school and work within our education? To look at our roles and only contribute to the context. To accept and encounter only what is being asked and avoid putting a lot on our plates. We don't. Yet Fish suggests that we have to try.
Fish out of water. Entering grad school and learning how to set boundaries developed many challenges. Delegating time for work, school, and life felt so beyond me. As a task-oriented person, I always felt guilty for making time for myself and not completing tasks to my personal scheduled deadlines. The endless loop of doing school work, doing TA work, and doing life all blended in a pattern:
Feelings = Sad → Break (Self-care) = Guilt → School work = I'm trying. Repeat.
One realization in grad school: Getting the rhythm of school and work-life balance can create challenges when there is a lot on our plates.
A lot on our plates. Many of my students in 2140 reached out to me with concerns over a position speech assignment. The speech entails refuting how an editorial board made its argument. One student commented, "I agree with the main claim supporting the 19th amendment. How can I do the speech without disagreeing and going against my beliefs?" As I explained the assignment and the rubric to my student, I realized their misunderstanding of the speech aligned with Fish's argument. On learning how to separate your ideas from your work. To separate what is on your plate, and to only finish the material presented in front of you. That was all you needed to do. To say yes to tasks within our roles, and nothing beyond so.
With balancing all my acts within a school, work, and life, I realized I struggled with saying no. I enjoyed helping others and never really questioned the toll matters took on me until I remained within the pattern of helping everyone, even within hesitancies. I needed to learn how to take care of myself and set boundaries. What a concept.
I had to reconceptualize my priorities and take in every bit of my life to avoid sinking with all the challenges. To continue to navigate my way through the #journeyofuncertainty, without drowning in unrequired tasks I previously always took on.
One way to remain afloat: Do not say yes, when you mean no.
Baby steps to go against the hard waves. Gaining confidence in the unfamiliar terrain. Like a fish out of the water, with a lot on our plates. How are you floating by, my friends? #journeyofuncertainty
Hey Jacinta,
ReplyDelete"Yes!" is the initial response that I have to your blog post. One thing that I resonate with a lot is "do not say yes, when you mean no." Saying yes is something that I do often as a people-pleaser. I also love your hashtag #Journeyofuncertainity because it has the word 'fun' in it and also because these are very uncertain times due to Covid, the election, and because we are graduate students/Teach Assistants. I think the utilization of puns is helpful in understanding that we all kind of feel out of place and overwhelmed at the moment, so I think that being a 'fish out of water' is exactly where we all are. I also want to say you are doing an amazing job and staying afloat.
Additionally, finding a balance between, being a student, a teacher, and an adult is increasingly stressful. One of the things that personally works for me is our daily Facetimes with each other where we check-in daily and hold each other accountable. Keep up the great attempt to balance life and school. You are doing life is an amazing manner.
-Alyx