I have stage-fright. Teaching starts today, you see. I have stage-fright far worse than when I present a paper in front of a few hundred people at a conference, even though I taught all last semester, and loved it, and the stuff I’m planning on doing today is based on a recipe I’ve used three or four times before with various groups of students. I’m convinced that only two students will turn up and this will prove the basic untenability of my future career in academia.

I’m all aglow. Teaching starts today, you see. I feel that same excitement that I feel at conferences, that thrill at meeting new thoughts and approaches to the world. I taught all last semester, and loved it, and the stuff I’m planning on doing today has worked well before and I love the texts we’ll be talking about. Do you know, I’ve been astounded at how I enjoy teaching. I like research too, but teaching is for me a real reason to stay in academia.

— Jill Walker —Stage Fright/Glow (jill/txt)

I don’t start teaching for a week yet, but Jill’s comments perfectly mirror my own.