As I stretch, yawn, look out of the window and enjoy the view of the clearing sky (the monsoon has made its much awaited though belated appearance), it strikes me that vacations are never long enough and the to-do lists are never short enough. More often than not, we look at the onset of a new semester, a new term, a new session, with anxiety about things not done and with anticipation about those yet to be listed. For some of us, there is a sense that this time it’s going to be different, that we will be more organised, we will set realistic goals and work systematically towards achieving them. But most of us (if we’re somewhat grown up) will realise that the turn of the calendar doesn’t really change much, that we will make those lists and set those goals, but… sooner or later, we will slip back into the patterns we are most comfortable with. And before we know it, the semester and the year would have slipped past.
This is not to say that we shouldn’t be optimistic or that resolutions are of no use. Or that we can’t break the routine. In fact, there’s a reason why we have scheduled vacations in the academic world. It’s another matter that we don’t really think about these reasons or fulfil them. So, let’s take stock of what vacations mean — in the course of our academic lives, or, as we go through high school and college.
Time offVacations provide a breathing space for all those involved in the educational enterprise — teachers, administrators, support staff, and, of course, students. We have talked earlier in this column about the need for reflection and for building reflective spaces in our lives. For those of us lucky enough to be part of the system of education, we already have those spaces and we need to make use of them. But vacations also offer the opportunity to do something else with that reflection. They are readymade laboratories for us to re-imagine our routines.
Think about it for a moment. The first few days off after a sustained period of study and (often) examinations are absolutely liberating. We suddenly feel as if a great weight has been lifted off our shoulders. We can sleep as much as we want (unless of course you have signed up for an internship from day one), wear clothes that are not part of any dress code or uniform, eat freshly cooked home-made food, watch television or hang out with friends online and offline, or read novels late into the night… you get the picture.
All this is wonderful, and it is absolutely why we need to take time off, to just be lazy, relax, do the simple and fun things that are off limits or difficult to do during the academic session. But after a few of these open-ended, loosely structured days, we might find a couple of things happening. One, this lack of structure becomes the new routine and the days slip by, running into each other with no plan, no distinction from one 24-hour block to the next. Two, we might begin to set tasks or goals for ourselves to accomplish or catch on during this time off from school or college. Three, a parent (or some other authority figure) might step in and insist on a structure for us.
Gaining perspectiveSuppose, instead, we use the break to think about the nature of our routines — what determines the patterns of our days? What do we enjoy doing and what do we end up doing? What energises us and what doesn’t? Where do we have control over our day and where does the control lie with others or external circumstances? In the hours we have control on — however brief they may be — how do we use the time? Even when the time table is set, there is a certain kind of flexibility we have in terms of how we act during that bounded time. So, think about how one use (not spend) that time. What are the mental and physical habits that characterise our routines?
It’s not that easy to take our routines apart, but it’s not that difficult either, and holidays help give us the required time and freedom to do it. It is more difficult to break the inefficient or unproductive habits of thinking and doing when we are caught up with a particular pattern of activity, whether it is academic or professional. Stepping outside that structure can give us a perspective that might help us put it together differently.
I took a three-month break from writing this column (among other things) to do just that, to re-imagine my writing routine. I can’t say I’ve succeeded entirely… I still feel anxious about the things I haven’t completed during this time, and am worried about the many things I will need to finish over the next few months. But I have gained some insight into the reasons why this is the case. Maybe those lists just need to be shorter?
The author teaches at the University of Hyderabad and edits Teacher Plus magazine. Email: usha.bpgll@gmail.com
