tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18155604.post115311214237055916..comments2023-10-17T10:21:11.698-06:00Comments on The Clutter Museum: New Feature: Ask trillwingLeslie M-Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02434392840359276805noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18155604.post-1153411063132618772006-07-20T09:57:00.000-06:002006-07-20T09:57:00.000-06:00meddling kids, that is hilarious! Thanks for the ...meddling kids, that is hilarious! Thanks for the tip.Leslie M-Bhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02434392840359276805noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18155604.post-1153399356401129462006-07-20T06:42:00.000-06:002006-07-20T06:42:00.000-06:00I have found it useful to position a massive bookc...I have found it useful to position a massive bookcase on one side of the door (as it swings open) and a trash can behind the door (to limit the arc of the door). This will constrict the door opening to a narrow sliver of access between the door and bookcase. If I were not a humanities professor I could calculate the ratio of door arc-to-student comfort.<BR/><BR/>What it means: I can leave my office door open to give my colleagues a sense of my "open door collegiality" (useful for tenure purposes) while simultaneously giving students the impression that I don't have room for them (literally and figuratively).<BR/><BR/>This is also helpful in that students who just want to drop in or stand in the doorway for a quick question do exactly that: the physical space does not allow them to linger too long at the threshold.<BR/><BR/>The trick, of course, is composing this physical arrangement of furniture without making it obviously anti-social.<BR/><BR/>An additional bonus: When I was highly stressed re:publications and tenure I shifted my office chair to a position right in front of a sunny window which made students stare into the window and reduced me to a shadow. For best results, schedule office hours for maximum daylight.<BR/><BR/>Is all this antithetical to the purpose of education? Sure, but there are periods of time when an assistant professor has to make research much more important than teaching.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18155604.post-1153114400901052342006-07-16T23:33:00.000-06:002006-07-16T23:33:00.000-06:00Dear trillwing,I will be sharing an office with a ...Dear trillwing,<BR/><BR/>I will be sharing an office with a fellow asst prof when I start my first job this fall. Do you have any tips for managing such a situation while retaining the vestiges of my sanity?<BR/><BR/>Thanks!<BR/>phd me<BR/><BR/>(Oh, I'm laughing so hard my side hurts!)phd mehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16708857060614302495noreply@blogger.com