The Creative Process

In my cohort of first-years, there is a mix of students who are working full-time while attending
classes, and those, like me, who have an assistantship and take a full load of classes. Last week, I confided in a classmate of mine who is working full-time that "I think I have the best assistantship." Apart from the actual duties of my job (which are much like my previous job in Seattle, that of grant writer extraordinaire) I get to work for Jim who is probably the most laid-back, friendly, supportive, and swears at just the right ratio of intellectualism to casual conversation type of faculty. 

Grad assistants are assigned throughout Erickson Hall, which is where the college of education is. I am on the fourth floor, in a space called "The Cube" because it's basically a doorway into a cubicle of desks. In The Cube, there are two relics posted on opposite sides of the wall. The first, nearest the door, is a schedule of when NOT to go to Sparty's. (Sparty's being the snack counter on the first floor). Apparently there was a study done by a couple of doctoral students a few years ago, who timed when Sparty's is most busy. They posted their findings so we all now know when to avoid it. Say, I have a hankering for a bag of peanuts or a Cliff bar. Before I head downstairs, I glance at the Sparty's sheet. The time is 1:30pm. Sparty's sheet says the counter is busy between 1:15 and 1:35, so I wait another 10 minutes. And sure enough, all clear.

The second relic is closer to the back of The Cube where I usually sit, and is an extremely accurate pie chart on the creative process. I find this extremely helpful, especially when I know my own writing and creative process falls within this normal range.