Quarter system blues.

RIT currently works on the quarter system.  That means instead of 2 semesters of 15 weeks of classes, they have 4 quarters (summer is one quarter, so really 3 in a school year) of 10 weeks of classes.  It also means that instead of the typical 4-6 week break for winter between semesters, they only have one week-long break for the holidays.

I was in Ohio with Nathan visiting his family for the holidays, then went to St. Louis for Urbana, and went straight to NYC where I promptly remained sick before returning to Rochester and returning to campus that following week.  Unfortunately, I feel like I've made no progress and picked up right where I left off before the holiday break.

Last year at this time I enjoyed the January break from campus so that I would have some time to focus on planning, processing, and preparing for the second semester and get a head start.  It gave me a break from worrying about the day-to-day campus issues with individual students and the chapter as a whole to realign myself with God's vision and to prepare my heart and my mind to start fresh.

I've lost that break because of RIT's quarter system this year, and I'm feeling some of the consequences.  Things pile up in the blink of an eye, and it's a bit overwhelming.  It's especially disorienting for a person like me who thrives on planning ahead, takes a while to process things, and strives for excellence.

Next year, however, will be a whole different ball game.  Starting this Fall, RIT will be switching to the semester system, which will include the winter break in January.  I am certainly looking forward to it.