My office is where I prepare for teaching and taking classes. I spend most days before class reading over materials and most afternoons being available to meet with students about their writing. I moved into this office last semester with some apprehension. I feared the move from Langdale Hall to 25 Park Place. I expected to feel uncomfortable. My office is a shared office space—one that I share with five other people. I feared the close quarters of working relationships. But I’ve found that the people I’ve seen in my office have only enriched my experience as a teacher and student.
I’ve talked with one colleague about his experience taking comprehensive exams and with another about his classes in literary theory. Although I was hesitant at first about sharing a space with other Graduate Teaching Assistants, I’ve found that the professional relationships have been valuable and significant to my educational experience. This space has become a safe space for me—one that I enjoy in solitude and with other like-minded academics. It’s a quiet and calming space, especially with the lights turned low.
On long days, I spend time after classes relaxing and unwinding in the space of my office. Sometimes I put on some soft music and sit back in my chair with my eyes closed; other times, I dive directly into the next project, paper, or teaching plan. This space provided me with somewhere away from home that I can be productive, but it also nurtures a lifestyle of intentional and personal restoration.