Busy-ness
I've been struggling with some health issues lately that have kept me from being very productive at anything, blogging included. I am doing a bit better now, but am still working through what appear to be some chronic issues.
It's interesting, I've had lots of opportunity lately to tell medical personnel the long litany of things in my life that could be potential sources of stress. It's usually right about the time that I say I'm taking 13 hours of credits at school and doing an internship that's 20 hours a week that they start to comment about how incredibly much that is, and that it's certainly a lot of stress to cope with. That's when I tell them that it's typical -- everyone in their second year at Iliff in the MDiv program is expected to take 13-14 hours and do an internship on top of that. If we don't, we end up having to stay here an extra year.
The truth is, though, that it really is a lot. All of my collegues seem to be stressed to the max. There's been quite a lot of illness at Iliff this term, and no wonder if students are so run down from busy-ness. Iliff, isn't atypical in this, either. I think it's pretty much standard for theological schools, and probably other graduate schools for that matter. But is it healthy?? Not really. Isn't it ironic that at a school where we're trying to learn to be models of healthful living and choices that we are in fact setting up life patterns that are so taxing and unhealthy. I'm not sure what a good solution for the institutional problem is, but for me at least, stepping back a bit is going to be essential.
It's interesting, I've had lots of opportunity lately to tell medical personnel the long litany of things in my life that could be potential sources of stress. It's usually right about the time that I say I'm taking 13 hours of credits at school and doing an internship that's 20 hours a week that they start to comment about how incredibly much that is, and that it's certainly a lot of stress to cope with. That's when I tell them that it's typical -- everyone in their second year at Iliff in the MDiv program is expected to take 13-14 hours and do an internship on top of that. If we don't, we end up having to stay here an extra year.
The truth is, though, that it really is a lot. All of my collegues seem to be stressed to the max. There's been quite a lot of illness at Iliff this term, and no wonder if students are so run down from busy-ness. Iliff, isn't atypical in this, either. I think it's pretty much standard for theological schools, and probably other graduate schools for that matter. But is it healthy?? Not really. Isn't it ironic that at a school where we're trying to learn to be models of healthful living and choices that we are in fact setting up life patterns that are so taxing and unhealthy. I'm not sure what a good solution for the institutional problem is, but for me at least, stepping back a bit is going to be essential.
posted by david at 3:35 PM
3 Comments:
David,
I'm sorry that you haven't been healthly lately. I hope that you're able to reduce some stress in your life.
I think you're absolutely right that it is an institutional problem. Your situation is basically the same situation facing the medical profession. They know that the horrendous hours they work interns results in medical mistakes and a significant human cost, but they can't seem to fix it. I there's an attitude by people who've lived through the system that "if you don't suffer as much as I did, you haven't really earned it." That may be less prevalent in theological schools, but I bet part of it is still there.
I think schools also tend to overestimate the value of their programs. There's always more you can add to the curriculum or the internship - they're just not very good at actually asking themselves how much those things really add to the curriculum.
My masters program was very different. They knew everyone was very busy and so they set embarrassingly low standards for everyone. I don't think that's the solution either, but it certainly made my life pretty easy.
Hang in there!
Brian
It doesn't set a wonderful example of the spiritual practice of sabbath or viewing time as holy. That might be an area that schools of theology might want to consider. Maybe we need more spiritual directors to become academic deans.
cheers,
Jonathon
Hey, David-- Mary Ann here. (For those who don't know, I'm at David's school.)
I couldn't agree more. It's excruciatingly much, particularly on the quarter system. Not only are quarters too short to do term papers in, but I've had only two classes in which we had a quarter's-worth of work rather than a semester's-worth, in those short ten weeks.
I might add that I have found being in the adoption process pretty much equivalent to taking another class, so I reckon you have, too.
I'm so glad you're taking care of your valuable self. :)
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