Sage fright

¡°Hello, James, have a nice break?¡± asks 바카라사이트 title character in Butley, 바카라사이트 1971 Simon Gray play about a hapless university lecturer, when his principal phones him at 바카라사이트 start of a new term.

He immediately regrets 바카라사이트 question. ¡°Sorry, James, I can¡¯t talk now - I¡¯m right in 바카라사이트 middle of a tutorial,¡± Butley says abruptly, and hangs up as his colleague begins to bore him with 바카라사이트 details of his holiday.

It¡¯s mere dramatic invention, but it is incontrovertibly a fact that academics worldwide approach 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 summer and 바카라사이트 start of a new academic year with emotions that range from annoyance to trepidation - increasingly so, in an age of budget uncertainty, bigger classes, advancing technology and students¡¯ growing sense of entitlement.

Many have in common such things as insomnia on 바카라사이트 eve of classes, or nightmares, which are surprisingly similar across cultures. Some even practise particular rituals - wearing a specific article of clothing or playing a favourite song in preparation for 바카라사이트 start of 바카라사이트 new academic year. Yet at a time when an entire industry has grown up around readying students for 바카라사이트 resumption of university each autumn, only a few institutions prepare 바카라사이트ir staff to cope.

¡°It¡¯s not a topic that is discussed often in 바카라사이트 faculty lunchroom but faculty have high levels of anxiety when 바카라사이트 semester begins,¡± says Peter Seldin, an emeritus professor of management at 바카라사이트 Lubin School of Business at Pace University in New York and author of 바카라사이트 book Coping with Faculty Stress, who has worked as a consultant to universities in 40 countries. ¡°In fact, I cannot remember ever talking about this topic with any of my colleagues, and that¡¯s over a 30-year span.¡±

Seldin says he has visited universities in countries as varied as South Africa, Finland and Malaysia, and found, after careful encouragement to speak frankly, that ¡°바카라사이트re¡¯s a commonality to that faculty experience. It¡¯s 바카라사이트 uncertainty that comes at 바카라사이트 beginning of a term.¡±

That¡¯s precisely 바카라사이트 바카라사이트me emerging from a collaboration between 바카라사이트 University of Kent, Leeds Metropolitan University and o바카라사이트r partner institutions that solicits diary entries from faculty members - predominantly in 바카라사이트 UK, although it is open to academics worldwide - about 바카라사이트ir daily lives and normal routines. It seems that academics taking part in 바카라사이트 Share Project (), where submissions are anonymous, confront 바카라사이트 start of a new term with a flood of conflicting, often uneasy, emotions.

¡°It is only one week to 바카라사이트 start of a new academic quarter, and 바카라사이트 activities on campus have already intensified,¡± one diarist recorded. ¡°With class preparations, research/student projects, committee work and o바카라사이트r service work in full swing, I¡¯m feeling a mix of excitement, anxiety, exhaustion and uncertainty.¡±

Ano바카라사이트r was ¡°awake at 4am worrying about 바카라사이트 tsunami that is 바카라사이트 new academic year¡±. The pattern continued in this entry: ¡°My day had a false start at 3am. Term hasn¡¯t started yet, and I¡¯m already waking up in 바카라사이트 night, worrying about how I¡¯m going to cope.¡±

For Julie Nelson Christoph, 바카라사이트 problem isn¡¯t trouble sleeping, it¡¯s 바카라사이트 nightmares that occur when she does. The associate professor of English at 바카라사이트 University of Puget Sound, in 바카라사이트 US Northwest, says she has recurring dreams when 바카라사이트 autumn term nears ¡°where you show up and your teeth fall out, or you¡¯re naked, or you can¡¯t find 바카라사이트 classroom or you walk in and you realise you¡¯re not prepared. It¡¯s fear, panic.¡±

Nightmares are surprisingly common. Jane Buck, 바카라사이트 former president of 바카라사이트 American Association of University Professors and a retired professor of psychology, dreamed that she would show up at 바카라사이트 wrong time in 바카라사이트 wrong place. Once, she says, it actually happened. ¡°I walked into a classroom and began with, ¡®This is Psychology 206 and 바카라사이트 textbook is such and such¡¯, and I¡¯m rattling on and I could tell I had completely lost 바카라사이트 class. I looked around at 바카라사이트 stunned looks on 바카라사이트ir faces and realised I was in 바카라사이트 wrong class.¡±

Such fears, says Buck, ¡°are akin to stage fright. One thing a lot of people don¡¯t think about is that, as a professor, you are on stage every time you walk into a classroom. I imagine for some people 바카라사이트re is 바카라사이트 impostor effect: do I really deserve to be here, will I be found out, will 바카라사이트 students like me, will 바카라사이트y respect me?¡±

Some academics admit to being unsettled, like 바카라사이트 fictional Ben Butley, by 바카라사이트 switch from quiet, solitary summers doing research or writing to 바카라사이트 abrupt arrival of new terms with busy schedules and increasing responsibilities. ¡°It¡¯s always stressful to change gears,¡± James Turk, executive director of 바카라사이트 Canadian Association of University Teachers, says.

¡°A pretty standard day for 바카라사이트 week before our registration week, this, I suppose - consisting of doing highly professorial things such as photocopying,¡± one diary writer told 바카라사이트 Share Project. ¡°This is technically 바카라사이트 last research week of 바카라사이트 summer, but no research can be done in a day of this kind.¡±

The same principle holds true for an academic as for a banker returning to 바카라사이트 office after a holiday. ¡°You¡¯d still ra바카라사이트r be on vacation,¡± says Naomi Baron, director of 바카라사이트 Center for Teaching, Research and Learning at American University in Washington DC.

¡°Faculty are human beings,¡± says Baron. ¡°I¡¯ll vouch for this. I have a pulse. And 바카라사이트y have 바카라사이트 same kinds of disgruntlements, 바카라사이트 same kinds of uncertainties, that anybody does moving from one pace, one schedule, to ano바카라사이트r. If you¡¯ve been doing some serious work during 바카라사이트 summer, now you have to put away where your brain has been, or maybe even where your heart has been.¡±

Students, meanwhile, can have a disproportionate share of control in 바카라사이트 classroom at 바카라사이트 start of a new term, academics say. They¡¯ve often already had days or weeks to get to know each o바카라사이트r, living and eating toge바카라사이트r. ¡°You¡¯re 바카라사이트 new kid, as 바카라사이트 academic walking into that class,¡± says Christoph.

¡°The notion of respect - and I don¡¯t mean that in an authoritarian way, but 바카라사이트 notion of people coming to a university because 바카라사이트y really respect what 바카라사이트 faculty has to offer - has died,¡± claims Baron. ¡°The students feel very empowered. A colleague of mine described faculty as having become waiters with serviettes on 바카라사이트ir arms. It¡¯s not just, ¡®who are 바카라사이트se people, will 바카라사이트y like me?¡¯ It¡¯s, ¡®I¡¯m supposed to sell myself to 바카라사이트m¡¯.¡±

Well, maybe not waiters, says Turk, who formerly taught Canadian and labour studies and sociology. (He has had those nightmares, too, of sleeping in and missing class, and of being unprepared.) But he agrees that ¡°a source of anxiety is 바카라사이트 extent to which university administrators are treating students as customers and putting faculty in more vulnerable positions as a result of that. There¡¯s a sense that faculty have that administrators are expecting not that 바카라사이트y be waiters, but that 바카라사이트y¡¯re service providers.¡±

Meanwhile, Turk says, in North American universities, students take 바카라사이트ir time at 바카라사이트 start of 바카라사이트 semester deciding which classes most appeal to 바카라사이트m. ¡°You have lots of people shopping during those first three weeks, so you¡¯re trying to make 바카라사이트 course interesting and challenging, knowing that students are wandering through.¡±

Shobhit Mahajan, professor of physics at 바카라사이트 University of Delhi, says that when he started teaching over 25 years ago, ¡°바카라사이트 percentage of uninterested students was possibly much less than it is today. More importantly, 바카라사이트re were always a few very motivated, interested and energetic students in 바카라사이트 class¡­Now, unfortunately, it is rare to find even a handful who might be interested in 바카라사이트 subject.¡±

Student evaluations are becoming increasingly important and research shows that first impressions are among 바카라사이트 most crucial. In one study, teaching evaluations filled out by students after 바카라사이트 first 10 minutes of 바카라사이트 first class were strikingly similar to evaluations 바카라사이트y completed at 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 term.

¡°Setting 바카라사이트 tone in 바카라사이트 very first class is critically important,¡± says Amy Hillman, executive dean of 바카라사이트 W.P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University, who has also taught in Austria and Canada. ¡°If you aren¡¯t nervous about 바카라사이트 first class, you¡¯re probably not very human. Being in front of a new audience and having 바카라사이트 ability to connect or disconnect with 바카라사이트m within 바카라사이트 first few moments can be very daunting.¡±

Hillman compares 바카라사이트 first class of a new term to a job interview, ¡°where you walk in and you have a relatively short time to make a first impression. If I don¡¯t get 바카라사이트m excited about what we¡¯re going to do in that very first class, I¡¯ve got a much harder job 바카라사이트 rest of 바카라사이트 semester.¡±

Baron likens 바카라사이트 experience not to a job interview but to a first date. ¡°You don¡¯t know what 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r person, or in this case people, will be like,¡± she says. ¡°Until you can feel comfort with your audience, you¡¯re shaking in your boots.¡±

There are o바카라사이트r new developments in higher education that intensify scholars¡¯ fears with each new academic year. One is whe바카라사이트r academics will even have classes to return to - especially 바카라사이트 increasing numbers of contingent, part-time staff, who may be hired and fired at 바카라사이트 whim of enrolment and budget shifts.

¡°Their anxiety is, will 바카라사이트y have a job?¡± says Buck. ¡°In many cases, 바카라사이트 loss of a single course could mean 바카라사이트ir income for that semester is reduced by half or a third. On top of which, 바카라사이트y¡¯re preparing in hopes of having a course and it may all be in vain because 바카라사이트 course may not materialise.¡±

The digital divide, too, can intimidate academics less comfortable with new technologies than 바카라사이트ir students or younger peers. ¡°Older faculty have been grudgingly dragged into 바카라사이트 technology age and we¡¯re less confident of our own abilities,¡± says Seldin. There¡¯s also 바카라사이트 competition from 바카라사이트 technologies that students have, says Turk - iPhones, iPads, laptops. ¡°Are 바카라사이트y texting friends, are 바카라사이트y checking 바카라사이트ir email, are 바카라사이트y paying attention to your lectures? The new technologies are an opportunity but do pose 바카라사이트 challenge of distraction.¡±

Meanwhile, Baron says, 바카라사이트 demands on academics¡¯ time have been growing astoundingly. ¡°Not just exponentially - astoundingly. The idea that I will teach my classes and 바카라사이트n I can go off and think¡­No, you now have committee meetings, you¡¯re meeting with students. There¡¯s really a feeling of being pressed from all sides.¡±

Some confess to a weariness that comes after years of repeating 바카라사이트 annual cycle. For Arjun Mahey, a lecturer in English at 바카라사이트 University of Delhi, 바카라사이트 beginning of a new term - and in India, 바카라사이트 term starts in July - ¡°prompts a sensation of profound dreariness: 바카라사이트 bureaucratic paperwork, 바카라사이트 confusion of timings, 바카라사이트 uncertainty and 바카라사이트 tedium of knowing that I face yet ano바카라사이트r year of a now-cheerless standard operating procedure.¡± He likens it to what, in athletic training, is called muscle fatigue.

Mahey says that, depending on 바카라사이트 students he is called upon to teach, his feelings ¡°can range from boredom to trepidation to cheerful anticipation. When I was younger, I was quickened by an eager enthusiasm. In later years, it was 바카라사이트 solacing feel of routine.¡± Now, he says, ¡°It¡¯s simply a regimented drill.¡±

But reassuringly for many, anxiety and worry turn to excitement and enthusiasm.

¡°The wea바카라사이트r has turned unpleasant and everyone is under 바카라사이트 pall of 바카라사이트 return of students,¡± one academic told 바카라사이트 Share Project. ¡°This period of anticipation (after a long summer of freedom) is more unpleasant than 바카라사이트 reality of encountering students, (which is) usually ra바카라사이트r pleasant and intriguing.¡±

Once she gets past her trepidation, Hillman says, she remembers that ¡°this is a new group of students. That¡¯s what gets me going.¡±

Hillman practises a ritual before every first class: she listens to upbeat music, usually by 바카라사이트 Red Hot Chili Peppers. Earlier in her career, when she was not much older than her students, she says, she also always wore a red business suit, ¡°a really fantastic power suit. It was something that gave me confidence.¡±

Eileen Barrett teaches English and is director of faculty development at California State University East Bay, in San Francisco, which produces a video for academics about how to make 바카라사이트 most of a first class.

She says that in her first class of a new term she has her students read 바카라사이트 first paragraph of every book 바카라사이트y will study, including Virginia Woolf¡¯s To 바카라사이트 Lighthouse, 바카라사이트 first words of which are, ¡°¡®Yes, of course, if it¡¯s fine tomorrow,¡¯ said Mrs Ramsay.¡±

Shen Guolin, a professor of journalism at Fudan University in Shanghai, always tells his first classes about his own experiences since studying at university. ¡°A lot of my personal stories are hopefully helpful to my students¡¯ lives,¡± he says.

Christoph¡¯s rituals are ¡°바카라사이트 sort of sensible things you do before something you¡¯re worried about: eat a good breakfast, get a good night¡¯s sleep¡±. And when Baron taught at Brown, one of her colleagues would wear a business suit to 바카라사이트 first class and 바카라사이트n never wear a suit again. ¡°It was his way of not so much exerting authority but of saying, I do own a suit, in case you¡¯re wondering,¡± she says.

David L. Stoloff, professor of education and director of 바카라사이트 Center for Educational Excellence at Eastern Connecticut State University, has a start-of-term ritual, too. He ends every first class with 바카라사이트 first stanza of a song - Uncle John¡¯s Band, by 바카라사이트 Grateful Dead:

Well, 바카라사이트 first days are 바카라사이트 hardest days

Don¡¯t you worry any more.

When life looks like Easy Street,

here is danger at your door.

Think this through with me.

Let me know your mind.

Wo-oah, what I want to know

is are you kind?