Relax, Rest, Renew

"My candle burns at both ends

It will not last the night;

But ah, my foes, and oh, my friends -

It gives a lovely light."

Edna St. Vincent Millay

This is an oft-quoted and nice sounding sentiment by Millay.  When I read this I imagine someone wringing every bit of energy and opportunity out of the emerging modern world of the twentieth century.  "A lovely light" perhaps beaming off of beautiful young faces of New Yorkers scampering to nightclubs, speakeasies, and houseparties at all hours of the night.

But let's be real.  If one's candle kept burning at both ends all through one's 20s, 30s or even 40s, the "light" would no longer illuminate beauty, but a face haggard and worn from exhaustion.  Even Millay admits in the poem "it will not last the night."

By the time you read this, you have probably finished taking the Midterm Exam.  We've already finished eight weeks in the semester, and are now on week nine.  This is usually when most colleges have their Spring Break, but we delay ours in order to coincide with Onslow County Schools break over the Easter holiday.  Nevertheless, you still need a break.

If you notice the workload on your syllabus, you should discover you've already done the really hard work.  We have covered about 60%-65% of the work for the course, even though we have half of the semester left.  I intentionally set it up this way so that all of your energy and enthusiasm at the beginning isn't wasted, and by the time you are ready to scream "Slow Down!" we are actually slowing down.

I want to recommend two articles about work/rest/renewal.

"Relax, You'll Be More Productive"
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/10/opinion/sunday/relax-youll-be-more-productive.html?smid=pl-share

"Managing Your Personal Energy Crisis"
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/24/jobs/24pre.html

Take some time this weekend to relax and renew.