Spring 2010 Reflection

My first semester back to school is complete. My Spring 2010 grades are Food/Writing: A, Environmental Ethics: A, Spirit & Nature: A+, Community Organizing: A+. Because I worked so diligently and neurotically, made so many sacrifices in taking care of myself and Kevin, and lost so many hours of sleep, the satisfaction feels a little empty—anything less than perfection would feel like a gross injustice. Maybe the most interesting lesson I’ve learned this semester is to work less.

I began NYC public high school, twenty years ago, in the “Honor’s Academy” at Fort Hamilton in Brooklyn. After the first semester, I realized that the only meaning of this “honor” was that I worked a lot harder for the same piece of paper that non-honors students were getting. What a scam! I was the first ever “Honor’s Academy” student to demote myself. Why didn’t anyone else see the light? My way meant I got to spend more time playing music, hanging out with my friends and working my part-time job as a cashier at Roy Rogers. Music, friends, and free flowing barbeque sauce – what more could a girl ask for?

I was reminded of this bit of ninth grade wisdom when my mentor met with me just before finals, in my sleep deprived, disheveled, and coughing (again) state and suggested that I work less hard next semester. So, along with persuasive writing skills, interfaith perspectives on ecology, environmental ethics and philosophy, and how to organize communities for social change, I will take this with me into the future, which in my case includes 4 weeks of study abroad in Italy, followed by a summer intensive in Statistics, a week on the Erie Canal and then the Fall 2010 semester.

Today we are headed to a friend’s house for a barbeque and I will be making amazing raw chocolate truffles, courtesy of a recipe from my religion professor. Next semester I’m going to aim not for grades but for satisfaction, and a better sense of balance, more love, more cooking, and more fun. My remaining two years of school are going to be more about the journey than the judgment, since we all get that same slice of tree when we are done, anyhow.