This semester has taught me a lot of patience. Now, I will
say that I am a pretty patient person. I want to work with elementary school
kids every day for the rest of my life, so I am basically required to have
patience to survive. However, this semester has been a little trying for me.
My dorm room has been the biggest source of this lesson. My
room is the smallest out of my four roommates, which I don’t mind so much. It
makes it cozy. It has two windows, so it gets a lot of sunlight..but that also
means more sunlight comes streaming in early in the morning. It also means that
in the winter, it’s significantly colder than all the other rooms. I’m
practically cold-blooded, so this lack of insulation didn’t help the situation.
On top of that, there has been construction going on outside my window all
semester. First, they tore up the parking lot they had just put in (and for
anyone who doesn’t know, tearing up concrete sounds a lot like shattering
glass, but on a much bigger scale). Then they cleared the ground and started
drilling and piling and goodness knows what else. They start at 7 am every
morning and finish around 5 or 6 each night. I’m happy they are working hard,
it’s great that they’re getting the job done so efficiently. However, when I’m
trying to sleep in the mornings or do homework in the afternoons, it gets a
little old.
After the construction stops in the evenings, you would
think that I am home free for some peace and quiet, right? If only… You see,
the guy that lives above me is a DJ. Yes, you heard that correctly. He really
likes playing music. Loud music. All the time. And possibly hosting workout
classes, because there is often a lot of stomping and jumping and yelling. I
have never complained to our neighbors on the fourth floor, that’s just not my
style. I’m glad they are having a good time. It’s just been a little trying at
times when I’m trying to sleep or study and there’s a dance party happening
over my head.
My classes have also taught me patience. This semester, I am
in some prerequisite education classes. These classes are re-teaching some
basic elementary concepts that we will later learn how to incorporate into our
classrooms. The thing with these classes is that our teachers tend to forget
that we’re in college, and treat us like elementary school kids instead. It
sounds like I’m complaining that my classes are too easy..that’s not it. I just
wish the teachers could teach us in a way that doesn’t make us feel like
children. However, as the semester has gone on, I’ve begun to understand that
as a teacher one day, I will have to have immense patience with my students,
because we will need to move slowly through the material. My college courses
are simple, but I think the underlying lessons are the most important.
These all seem like minor things, and to tell you the truth,
they are. However, the lesson of patience is anything but trivial. Having
patience allows us to have long-lasting friendships and relationships. It
allows us to complete tasks and deal with all kinds of trying situations. I can
say it’s one of the most valuable things we have as humans. They say patience
is a virtue, and it might sound cliché, but it’s certainly true.
Allie, I definitely have to agree with you that patience is a virtue. While the whole situation of living by a construction site combined with the 'workout DJ' is kind of humorous from the outside, I can definitely see how annoying and bothersome these distractions are. I too suffer from some noisy neighbors who manage to make the floor above me hardwood. There's always a consistent THUNK THUNK!
ReplyDeleteIt's good to see that you are optimistic and looking past the annoying things. I am a business teacher and I an't even comprehend what the curriculum of an education major is, but I imagine that the childish way the teachers treat you is very annoying! All college kids should be taken seriously! But keep up with your patience! It's worked out for you so far!
While reading this, I definitely felt bad for you! I thought it was bad living in Milton where people are constantly running around right outside my room, but that pales in comparison to the construction work and the workout DJ. I would agree with Michael on how it is definitely hilarious from an outside perspective. I was laughing basically the whole time while reading this. I would have gone crazy with the DJ guy above me. I, personally, would have complained a few times. I thought it was cool how patient you were by never complaining. The neighbor on my left is my future roommate, and he writes songs. So I understand the whole loud music situation. It is kind of obnoxious when you're trying to fall asleep.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that patience is a virtue. Most people are always in a rush and will miss life. I never like to be in a rush and always like to be deliberate in my actions. I am also sorry about the DJ in room above you, but I am glad you were patient with him. Your being patient not only helped you become a stronger person but it also allowed that guy to express his music. Now, I hope somebody else will be as patient with you so you can do your thing.
ReplyDelete