Okay, who am I kidding? It's not possible. Just know that by the end of this post, I'll probably be sitting in a pool of my own tears.
I Can't Wait to be a Teacher.
So student teaching happened this year. My question is, how can you sum up an experience like that? It was difficult and stressful. I cried...a lot. But it was also hilarious and rewarding and humbling. I learned so much this semester. But mostly? Mostly it assured me that yes, I do want to be a teacher. If eating doughnuts all day every day isn't an option, then I can't imagine doing anything else for the rest of my life. I'm so excited to begin a career in teaching!
You Can and You Will Make it Through the Tough Times.
Wow. The past 5 months have been some of the most trying times in my life. I lost both my grandpa and my grandma. I student taught. I found out that I did not get the Fulbright grant I had been working so hard for the past year. My boyfriend moved to San Francisco. It's things like this that make me not want to adult. But guess what? I'm still alive. Life is tough, but you get through it. And through it all, I learned that...
Your Support System is Everything.
There is no doubt about it: I would be nothing without the people that support me, especially this semester. A HUGE thank you to my parents for always having my back, my sister for being available for impromptu phone calls when I needed her advice, extended family for being amazing, Lush for always staying positive when I'm falling apart, roommates for leaving me encouraging notes when I needed them, friends for telling me to get my ish together and make a plan for my life, and my incredible cooperating teacher who taught me everything I know about being a good teacher. I wouldn't have made it through the semester/year without you.
Sometimes, You Just Have to Laugh.
Even though there were so many challenges this year, sometimes you just have to laugh. For some comedic relief, here is a short list of hilarious things that my students said during student teaching:
-Greyson called me over; "Miss K, every time I stare off into space, my eyes are drawn to Emma W. But I like Phoebe!"
-Keyrsten: "I told him you can like both!"
-Me: "Guess you better give them both a valentine!"
*Ant crawling across the table*
-Me: "Ew, what is that?"
-Eron: *Squishes ant with his finger, drags his finger across the table, and says, "Shhhhhh."
-Me: "Where should I go for my birthday dinner?"
-Someone: "Get Chinese food!"
-Me: "I don't like Chinese food that much."
-Christian with wide, creepy eyes: "You should go to Everything OK (Chinese restaurant in Frankfort). It's not Chinese food." *Laughs maniacally*
Emma W. wrote: "Tick tock, light 'em up" at the top of her math paper
-Me: "Your outfit is really cute today!"
-Isella, very sassy: "Are you jealous?"
-Christian: "You look like you're 30."
Jeremy on his pre-test: "Michelle Obama and Hilary Clinton both were in the program to be the first president."
This is the future of America, ya'll.
I'm Not Ready for the Real World, but it's Coming Anyway.
If I thought my quarter-life crisis was a struggle, then preparing myself for adulthood is a major struggle. I don't know how to adult. This past week, I've slept in until 11:30 every day, and it's been GREAT. (Okay people, obviously I'm making up for the student teaching sleep debt when I woke up at 5:00 am every day). I still feel like it's acceptable to call a box of mac n' cheese a meal. My room looks like a tornado went through it. My bank account is gasping for air (or money). So lowkey, how do you even adult? But it's coming whether I like it or not, so LOOK OUT, WORLD! READY OR NOT, HERE I COME!
I am Ever Grateful for Purdue.
I've said it before and I'll say it again: I LOVE PURDUE UNIVERSITY!!! Oh my goodness, my use of caps lock is off the charts today. I really need to stop. But forreal, this school...there are no words. Really. How do you describe a place that, for the past 4 years, has been your home? A place where you learned so much, both academically and socially? A place where you met people that will be life-long friends? A place where you established yourself as a (mostly) independent human being? I can't imagine what my life would be like if I hadn't been a Boilermaker. So, there are a couple people I have to thank. First, my parents, for letting me choose the school I wanted to attend. They never pressured me to choose one or the other; they let me decide and allowed me to drag them along to the multiple college visits I went on. Second, to the peeps in charge of scholarships at Purdue. Without you, I wouldn't have been able to come here! And third, to John Purdue. Thanks for even making this school! Lolz.
Well guys, that's it. That's the last of the "Things I Learned" series. And contrary to popular belief, I'm not actually sitting in a pool of my own tears. However, I very well might be soon, because guess what? In 9 days, I will be a college graduate. I will no longer be a college kid. Stay tuned for the next adventure :).
