The class is filled with weekly deadlines, and they are what we might call "date certain" deadlines, with planned dates and times. In fact, missing some of the deadlines can cause problems with LATER assignments and deadlines, so keeping current is key.
There is a final formal report required for the course, due in (gulp!) two weeks, but an important step is writing a proposal memo that demonstrates a clear plan, credentials, some preliminary reading, etc. There is pressure on me to get comments back within a day or so to allow for students to make adjustments to their plans (if needed) ASAP.
Bottom line for the course: June 13 is the "date certain" to complete the class. The university schedules a "date certain" for grades to be uploaded.
Now, will June 13 mark the end of our journey as writers? Duh. There is much more to learn and practice and refine and explore... though even writing that list seems vague and difficult to measure.
"I want to become a better writer" is something I have heard from countless students through the years, but that is far from a "date certain" sort of goal. Not only is "better" about as vague a goal as we can imagine, but the idea that there is a clear end point for the quest to become a better writer or thinker is silly.
But there is something comforting about checking off SOMETHING, like completing a class or finishing that blog post or just getting the floors cleaned in the house.
It's the same with all sorts of life goals, like those "bucket list" challenges. We can vaguely get enthused about that future trip to Tuscany, but until we book the tickets, we can't claim any true progress toward something we desire.
When I was a yearbook adviser, we would often say that the book could never truly be finished, but that it had to be "done."
There will always be another deadline or another yearbook or another class. Make progress. Do your best. Reflect on what worked and what did not.
"Date certain" deadlines are how we move ahead.
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