Work is kicking my butt! I mentioned a couple of posts ago that I'd start teaching at the local community college in February. Well, it's been four weeks since my start date, and here's what I've figured out so far:
- Class prep for three completely-new classes is ROUGH.
- Navigating a new campus, especially at a college level that's different than where I went as an undergrad and grad myself, is also rough.
- Nevertheless, I still enjoy meeting the students and learning about their lives.
- This is my first time teaching lower-division courses, and I have to recognize and accept that not everyone is going to do well, no matter what I do.
- The students who are doing well, however, make me really happy.
One personal perk of doing this job is that I get to dress up a little. I gave away a significant chunk of my closet in January and February -- in part because I gained weight last year and couldn't fit a lot of my clothes anymore -- and then I bought other clothes that fit me better and were more appropriate for work. So far, I've been loving Effie's Heart clothing; their jersey stretch fabrics are forgiving and flattering but also come in some wonderful patterns. I have a few items from eShakti but the fit and fabric have been iffy, and while some are gorgeous, they're not especially appropriate for work (or at least I'm not comfortable yet with wearing the fit-and-flare/pinup style dresses and tops that I bought, even with a sensible cardigan). They've got some really nice items this season, however, so I might give them another try.
And of course, I've been wearing my Fluevogs to work! (Yay, they're finally getting more circulation outside my closet!) Here are some photos from the past month:
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| FIRST DAY OF SCOOL: Dress with fabric belt: Effie's Heart | Cardigan: Banana Republic | Shoes: Fluevog Qtee (Mini family) |
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| Top: ModCloth | Belt: consignment store | Skirt: Effie's Heart | Shoes: Fluevog Barkerville (GetUp family) |
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| Cardigan: Banana Republic | Tee (not shown): Doctor Who shirt via TeeFury :-) | Bracelet: handmade from this fabulous Etsy shop | Skirt: Effie's Heart | Shoes: Fluevog Barkerville (GetUp family) |
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| ON A REALLY COLD DAY: Top and cardigan: ModCloth | Jeans: JC Penney | Boots: Fluevog Stella (LoFs family) |
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| Skirt: Effie's Heart | Tights: Foot Traffic | Shoes: Fluevog Masarek (Mini family) |
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| Dress: Effie's Heart | Tights: via Sock Dreams | Boots: Fluevog PRI (Radio family) |
I've worn more outfits than these, of course, but these were the ones that worked. The others are not shown for a reason! It's been a learning experience for me in more ways than one. :-)
Wish me luck on the rest of the semester, although I hope I'll be able to post again before June!
xo, Gladys
