An honors course is an opportunity to do extra work for the sake of proving that you’re a person who is willing to do extra work.

You can’t fake it and you can’t delegate it, both for the purposes of your own learning and for the credit due. There are no shortcuts. A top student must be thorough and conscientious. Efficiency is not a priority; the teacher doesn’t actually need 25 different papers on the same subject. Grasping an esoteric concept takes hours that don’t translate to productivity, per se—that’s not what it’s for. In academia, we’re not looking to accomplish things more quickly and easily. As in weight lifting, the point is the hard work and effort.

Read More

I know that I tend to be at my best when I wake up early.

Whether it’s a weekday or the weekend, I feel physically, mentally, and emotionally sharpest throughout the day if I rise before dawn.

Like sticking to a schedule, tracking my time, eating certain meals at certain times, getting lots of exercise, starting the day with creative work, and staying well ahead of deadlines, this is just one of the things that I know works for me.

Except when it doesn’t.

Read More

In his classic book The Four Hour Work Week, Tim Ferriss points out that it unrealistic and unreasonable goals are easier to achieve than realistic and reasonable ones.

As he memorably put it, “I’ll run through walls to get a catamaran trip through the Greek Islands, but I might not change my brand of cereal for a weekend trip through Columbus, Ohio.”

There are a few reasons for this. Tim points out the adrenaline and passion involved that can drive you toward an especially enticing result, along with the lack of competition one might find in going for something particularly difficult.

Read More

Teaching music lessons is the perfect side gig!

You can spend a few hours on a Saturday morning or Tuesday afternoon, make some music, hang out with some adorable kids, and walk away with a hundred bucks or so. It’s a delightful hobby that you can get paid for.

On the other hand…teaching music lessons full time is a nightmare.

Read More

After spending most of the last quarter of last year making a dining-room table-full of holiday gifts, I decided that I wanted to knit some things for myself.

I made a shawl and a hat and some fingerless mitts; a cape and a couple pairs of leg-warmers. But what I really wanted to make was a sweater.

And then I spent hours combing Ravelry (a website for knitters and crocheters) for juuuust the right one. I didn’t find exactly what I was looking for, so I considered designing my own.

Read More