End of the quarter

My grades were due on Monday, but I'm still here because I need to finish my revisions on a collaboration before I leave town. I've been working slowly because I am so burnt out from grading, but I hope to drive back to Hickville by the end of the week.

In other news, the undergrads are gone, and it's wonderful. This means:

- Today at the gym, I could choose ANY TREADMILL I WANTED. I changed my mind three times, just savoring the moment. I hate that my only workout option is the campus gym where my students stare at me, or run next to me (twice as fast), or awkwardly say hello in the locker room. If I let that stop me, I won't exercise, so I keep telling myself that I don't care -- but I'm much more relaxed when the gym is deserted.

- I am allowed to get an H1N1 vaccine. Only 2000 undergrads got vaccinated, so the university has been sitting on a surplus of vaccine for weeks -- but grad students were not allowed to get the shot until the undergrads left for break.

- I can park on campus for free. We have two-hour parking spots all over campus, but you can't count on this option because it's often hard to find a space -- and if you have to park several blocks away from the building, it's not worth it. Today, I went to the gym, then to health services (flu shot), then to my department, so I just parked by each building and then drove home. Luxurious. Saved me at least two hours.

And, this did not happen because the undergrads left, but the Penguins defeated the Philadelphia Flyers tonight, 6-1, and it was glorious. So satisfying.