Thursday, February 25, 2010

Over-achiever?

I consider myself to be a slacker. I have long held that perception and considered it well-founded. But earlier today I found myself challenging that assumption, and even wondering if, nay, fearing that, perhaps I was guilty of being it's opposite: an over-achiever.

Here is the evidence:

I'm in a competitive graduate program
I'm the only MFT student taking the optional MFHD 566 course
I'm the only student in my cohort planning to teach (on top of my research assistantship)
I'm working 15 rather than 10 hours a week for my research assistantship
I attend educational lectures on campus weekly
I attend extra conferences and symposiums several times a month
I'm registered for two unnecessary courses next term
I will soon have a full caseload of clients
I spend my Saturday nights working on my thesis

The evidence is against me. But I still feel that I am a slacker and am not an over-achiever. I repugn the very thought of being an over-achiever. I'm dedicated to learning, but am opposed to being achievement driven. And I'm worried that my pursuit of learning will cause me to be perceived as an over-achiever. So please note that any achievements that may someday be realized, if I come to merit it, will not be because they are the goal. They would simply be a byproduct of pursuing education. Well, unless you consider a Masters degree an achievement. That one is a goal. But it's not above or beyond what is expected of my in my program. That is all. Now, in an attempt to preserve my rep, I'm going to do something frivolous or lazy in order to procrastinate preparing to discuss a non-class-related paper with the professor of my extra class tomorrow. Okay, bye.

4 comments:

Receli said...

Bad News... you might be an overachiever... but that is ok! I promise! Or you can see yourself as overachieving to be a slacker in other on-academic pursuits! :)

Receli said...

non-academic

Sherry Ellsworth said...

totally a slacker. no questions.

Pat Wick said...

Title your behavior anyway you want --you take on more than anyone I know. But, I respect all you do. :-)