Columnist Dirk-Jan Scheffers knows academia rarely takes a break. Even when the summer holidays have started, there are always students who quickly want to finish something before the new year.
I’m covered in mosquito bites. Student columnist Robin wrote about his vacation last week; I still have to wait three weeks before mine starts. First, I have to read and evaluate master theses, dissertations, and grant applications, grade resits, and attend several meetings.
Fortunately, I do have time for weekend mini-breaks, or, as they’re called these days, a micro-adventure.
This past weekend, my cycling group and I biked over pretty much every forest and shell-covered path to the south and north west of Groningen, stopping at a campsite just outside of Kollum.
There, while having a beer and still dressed in my cycling outfit, I was beset upon by mosquitoes. It’s a small price to pay to completely get away for two days, not even that far away from home.
The beauty of the Groningen and Drenthe countryside can also be experienced on the way to museum Wierdenland in Ezinge, which can easily be reached on a regular city bike. There, artist Siemen Dijkstra has tried to ‘archive inspirational landscapes’, as he puts it. He’s done so by creating beautiful woodcuts. The exhibition will last until the end of September.
Many academics start preparing for the new year in August
After these vacation stories and tips, I’d like to say something about vacations in general, as well as the academic year. As you can read, most academics keep working even after their vacations have started, or they’ll start preparing for the new year in August. That makes our summers fairly short.
In my case, I have around six weeks during which I don’t have any appointments. In those six weeks, I have time to go on holiday, as well as do all the work I wasn’t able to do during the academic year, like writing articles and grant applications.
That’s why, for years, I’ve declined students asking to do a summer internship. But I also say no to students who are trying to graduate on time by doing an individual assignment during the summer instead of during the academic year. As long as their grade is in before the end of August, they won’t have to register and pay for the next year.
There’s almost always one lecturer who’s feeling magnanimous enough to coach them through it, denying themselves a quiet summer. I used to be one of them. Even though it’s not that much work, it ended up distracting me too much, when I really needed to take the time to finish some other work while not being interrupted.
Therefore, I propose a grading halt for halfway through July, the same deadline for resit grades. This will protect both lecturers and students from themselves, ensuring everyone has a quiet summer. Enjoy your holiday!
DIRK-JAN SCHEFFERS