So, as most likely nobody remembers, a year ago, give or take, I got laid off. Fortunately, this, along with some prodding, kicking, dragging, and electroshocking from people who care, finally got me around to applying to/getting into grad school.
Now, again fortuitously, my university is kind enough to offer financial aid in the form of assistantships. There are two kinds of these: research assistantships, and teaching assistantships.
Of course, as I wasn’t anywhere near campus to find a faculty advisor, I’m going to be spending at least one semester as a TA. Hence, by fiat of the my department, I have authority. 22 undergrads have now been entrusted to me so that I may guide and shape their developing minds. Muahahahahahaha.
Ahem, excuse me. I didn’t mean that. I’m going to take perfectly good care of them, I swear. For that matter, many of them already remind me of myself, as they got the deer-in-the-headlights look and mumbled something about being good at math and science when asked why they chose mechanical engineering…
I wonder if the “Abandon Hope, All Ye Who Enter Here” sign above the room was too much, though… 
