Transitioning

Today, I bum-rushed out of work to meet BSILF! We met up at Sbux to briefly catch up over delicious lattes. BSILF also gave me a pair of gorgeous earrings for my birthday! They are soOOoOOOOOo cool and unique! I knew they'd be a great gift because all jewelry that I have received from friends and family are essentials to my appearance. I don't buy jewelry for myself because I never find anything; however, for some mysterious reason, others find the perfect pieces for me. BSILF gave me a pair of earrings from Dopamine Jewelry that showcases the chemical elements of a substance under a microscope. That substance, caffeine, has been with me through thick and thin. :D Thanks BSILF!

BSILF and I then rushed to our alma mater to guest speak at the NSSLHA meeting. We were both equally thrilled at this opportunity to come back to speak. For me, it was a wonderful experience for many nerdy reasons. I mean, these people actually wanted to hear from me as a recent graduate transitioning into a professional (or lack of transition?). Secondly, I remember how much I appreciated and admired ALL of the guest speakers we invited, when we were officers. Dude, we even had ASHA's president at that time speak! Not that I'm at that caliber, but just to not be a student any more was a statement. ;) Lastly, it was rewarding to go back to share my thoughts and experiences thus far, as a pay-it-forward type of thank you to the professors who have helped me get where I am today.

The people asked some really good questions, ones that I wasn't necessarily prepared for but had self-reflected on for some time. One person asked what we considered a "good" day. For me, a good day is when 1) my kiddos don't ditch (although I didn't say this) and 2) my kiddos are motivated and actually participate. It really does get me excited when my students try. That's really the biggest thing that I ask from them.

Do we have typical days? Definitely not, and that's one thing that I love about this job. My schedule usually changes from day to day; the 'inconsistencies' keep me going though. I love the flexibility and control I have over my schedule, too. Not to mention the 320s REALLY take me on a whirlwind on any given day. There's a high level of satisfaction and excitement because the days vary so much.

One thing's for sure -- I am sooOoOOoOOOoOoo glad to be done with school. Working in a school is such a different story. :)