I finally got to properly waste time today, but most of it was done in class.

The last day of classes can be strange, especially if you have junior high school classes. Our classes amount to

1–tease high score, low score and average on board,
2–take roll,
3–pass out answer sheets,
4–correct mistakes in answer sheets,
5–finish writing high score, low score and average,
6–hand out exams,
7–Let students copy answers,
8–Answer questions, correct counting errors,
9–Collect answer sheets,

That all takes, at most, 15 minutes–and that’s only if there are lots of questions and/or one student takes it seriously–leaving 35 more minutes to fill. Some teachers show videos; some give extra credit assignment; and next year I’m going to have extra work for the classes with the lowest averages.

However, this year, I got nothing. I let the students relax while I do other things.

Then there’s some final busy work: entering final marks, correcting mistakes, and purging desks and folders of old paper and roll cards.

Leaving feels really strange, especially if most everyone else is staying and are coming back the next day.

Once i get home, there’s the odd feeling that things aren’t over yet. There’s still some busy work, a farewell party (for teachers who never actually spoke to me) and then a speech contest next week. It all feels very strange, but I managed to properly waste time.

I played some games and then took pictures of ink. That involved cotton swabs, paper, a Samsung tablet, and no small amount of self-doubt and swearing. That led to a need to break out the real camera and the light box to get better pictures. It wasn’t a pressing enough need, though, to prompt immediate action.

Eventually I’ll settle into proper time wasting, interrupted only by my company’s odd demands for attention/busy work.

I’ll probably go back to school at least once, though. I’m sure there’s something I forgot.