Blog post by Avalon Jade Theisen
I wake up in my apartment to the chiming sound of my alarm at 7:30 am. My calico cats, Miso and Tofu, are cuddled next to me. I pet them, open the blinds, then do my daily Duolingo training to wake up my mind and prepare for my next foreign language exam, this time on Portuguese. I stretch my shoulders then mindfully set my feet on the floor.
After bicycling along the Rio Salado, I return home, shower and make a smoothie. Every day is a bit different, but today’s includes peanut butter, blueberries, apple, banana and granola. After finishing my smoothie, I always feel chilled, I grab the blue and yellow blanket to drape over my lap as I sit at my desk. This studying spot is located near a window, overlooking the neighboring beige and iron-ore red building. I go to Youtube and press play on some classical instrument covers of pop songs. This musical genre is my favorite and perfect for studying as the beat is exciting and there are no distracting words. Throughout the day, I chat with my parents and friends online, as well as with my cats when they come visit my desk.
I study most of each day, with short breaks to fix hot tea. I usually begin my work by checking emails. My personal and ASU emails are first, then my email for my role as book reviews coordinator for an academic journal. After any necessary responses, I follow up on ones older than a week, then send any new ones.
Next, I check my “to do list,” which is a Google document to help ensure I do not miss a deadline. This document includes chronological dates and deadlines for my personal life, as well as work and school, including the semester’s deadlines for each class.
My attention first goes to reviewing materials and making sure links are active for the middle school/high school class I teach on Mondays, World Religions and Food. For the second half of the spring semester, I will teach World Religions and Nature.
Next up, I take care of any TA responsibilities, including responding to and grading students.
Moving on to coursework at around 11 a.m., I carry armfuls of books to the table and peruse additional readings on my laptop. My research focus is religion and the environment. My bookshelves are organized for maximum efficiency. The top shelf focuses on indigenous and similar religions, with subsections on Native American, African and Pagan religions, especially their relationship to the environment. The second shelf focuses on Abrahamic religions, with subsections on Judaism, Islam and Christianity, especially their relationship to the environment. The third bookshelf focuses on Asian religions, with subsections on Buddhism, Hinduism and Confucianism, especially their relationship to the environment. The fourth shelf is exclusively for religion and nature, with books on the left and academic journals on the right. Almost all of my research comes from these first few shelves. Subsequent shelves include topics on ecology, religious food ethics, religious studies theory, ethics and social justice.
Although I have tried taking notes through Word or Google documents and certainly appreciated the neatness, I never felt able to connect with the material that way. A pen in hand and a college-ruled notebook by my side, I feel ready to conquer the readings. This notetaking method has honed my handwriting, making it personally-aesthetically-pleasing and practical. With each new week of work, I write the week number in the margins. Before each reading, I write the date, the title and the author for organization purposes. While reading, I write down any new concepts, themes and prominent figures, as well as any other details which stand out to me, usually the intriguing phrasing of a quote. After I finish each article or chapter, I underline one or two phrases that really sum up the meaning of the piece so I can find it later. I enjoy learning and the material, but sometimes, both the monotony and interruptions by others get on my nerves. I work best in long stretches of time. As for classes, right now, I am studying for Changing Human Nature Relationship. Later today, I will probably switch to my Reading and Conference course and tomorrow the focus will be Study of Religion II.
If I am writing a discussion post or essay, I will transcribe relevant notes to the document I use to complete the assignment. This transference reaffirms my understanding of the concepts, as I need to review important information. I go through multiple drafts for each paper. In the first draft, my notes are simply there in the order I read them and the directions are below them, important sections highlighted. In my second draft, I always organize my notes into an outline that will mimic the order of my final writing. I flesh out my essay in the third draft, as my notes become full sentences. Fourth, fifth, sixth and sometimes additional drafts may also happen, depending on the nature of the assignment and how much time I have to focus on writing.
My day usually wraps up around 7 p.m. I make dinner, usually from leftovers because I make large portions. Some of my favorite dishes include triple-bean chili, samosas, hummus wraps, curries and brussels sprouts. I watch TV as I eat, then do yoga for 15 minutes. If I have not already, I make dessert. As I love sweet foods and have allergies that have largely prevented me from buying store-bought sweets, I have enjoyed baking peanut butter cookies, chocolate chip cookies, cupcakes, vanilla cake, pumpkin bread, apple cinnamon bread and, although technically not baked, chocolate pie. I drink another cup of tea. By 10 p.m., I am exhausted but feel accomplished. I go to bed and read a few pages of Old Growth: The Best Writing about Trees before turning out the lights.
Are you a SHPRS student and want to share your “day in the life?” Email erica.may@asu.edu.
