Climate Change

I have recently been feeling the effects of climate change--not the global variation, but that which comes from returning to snow and school from a vacation in warmth. The temperature change, of course, has been shocking. I can feel my new tan fading as the snow dampens my face outside. I lucked out with unusually warm weather during my visit to LA, but it's been snowing intermittently since my return to the east coast.

The other change in climate, in the sense of the tone of everyday life, has been returning to school after 5 weeks of leisure. That long of a break makes relaxation into a routine. So, launching back into my grad school schedule has been as big of a shock to my system as the snow. It's one of the beauties--and drawbacks--of grad school: constant change. The prospect of new professors, new books, new people in my classes can be exciting. It's a reminder that getting settled in academia means adjusting to the general climate rather than hanging on to the particulars.