Hello friends!
It's been awhile, hasn't it? I figured with the holiday season, we all deserved a break - me from writing and you from reading. I hope that you all had a wonderful holiday and if you didn't, I hope the return to normalcy has given you comfort. I myself had a wonderful holiday with my family! It was great to see and talk to everyone that I haven't seen since last April, not to mention all the marvelous food that was ingested. I think I gained at least five pounds over the last three weeks but it was worth it. I've been blessed with good cooks on my side of the family, as well as Garrison's side of the family so how could I possibly turn down the chance to eat like a queen after four and a half years of college food? You're right, I couldn't.
If you hadn't figured it out, yes, I did survive my student teaching. It was a great experience and I learned a great deal from both of my cooperating teachers as well as my students. There were definitely some challenging days but I worked through them and had some great days as well. My favorite part of my elementary placement was teaching my fifth grade students how to play the baritone ukulele. They did very well and I am very proud of them for their perseverance and hard work. I also finished edTPA! YAY!!!! Granted, I finally turned it in three days ago when I really should have got it done sooner but hey, its done and I feel free! FREEDOM!
So, now what? Post-graduate life is such a nebulous time for some of us. Since I'm working on transferring my Minnesota teaching license to Ohio, I'm in a weird holding pattern. For now, I'm the vocal director for my high school alma mater's musical and I will also start working at Cheddar's as a waitress on Tuesday. So between the two, I think I'll be able to scrape by until I get a teaching job. It also helps that my parents are letting me live at home for a while.
During my copious amounts of down time, I've been spending a great deal of time on Facebook. One question has struck me again and again: Why do we treat our statuses like psychologist appointments instead of reaching out to actual people in our lives?
This question has really bothered me for the past three weeks. Although, I can assume the answer is that there is less risk involved with talking to the passive audience of the internet compared to the risk involved with talking to a real person who could possibly hurt you. However, you can only build meaningful relationships when you take a risk and let in the people who are around you. While it is harder to express your honest feelings and thoughts to those around you, it is the only genuine way that you can let someone into your heart and foster a positive and loving relationship that is real and beneficial.
So, TAKE A RISK PEOPLE! Make meaningful relationships with those around you and talk to them (really talk) about your important thoughts and feelings (even the unimportant ones) instead of Facebook. Take a chance and show those people what you're really feeling and thinking. Trust me, I know it's a big investment but with enough care and continual honesty on both sides, those relationships will help you to define yourself.
Now for the grain of salt. As most know, those with whom you choose to make meaningful relationships have a huge impact on who you are, who you will continue to become, and how you define yourself. So, foster these kinds of relationships with people who will be a positive influence on your life. Choose to surround yourself with people who represent that person you want to be. And always, always, use your head. Always, always think for yourself. Relationships are great and fulfilling, but only those relationships that enhance who you are instead of trying to change who you are. Your relationships should help you figure out who you are, not tell you who you are.
Well, there you have it, relationship advice of the non-romantic kind! I wonder if this is a first for the internet? Probably not for the internet is vast and contains the ramblings of millions of people. No way this is a first but hopefully it is not the last! Thanks for reading and feel free to comment on what you think about what I wrote. Discussions are my favorite, as long as they are conducted in a mature manner, which also might be new for the internet.
'Till Sunday!
Jamie
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