The beginning of a new semester means the ending of another break. Breaks are nice not only because there aren't any classes, but they also provide some much needed rest and relaxation. Over break, I was able to enjoy some of the events and activities offered in the area (and some a little out of the area). Since my family is from here, I did not have a "trip" home. Instead, I spent my first weekend off in Oklahoma City. While there, I went to my first NBA game between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Cleveland Cavaliers. If any of you have any desire to watch take in a NBA event, the Thunder actually provided good entertainment. The rest of the Christmas season passed quickly with a trip to the Isle of Lights in Winfield, KS and lots of cookies (which I am currently paying for with trips to the gym...). The big finale of break came with the removal of my wisdom teeth. That was quite the experience mainly because I found that every food commercial on TV was a sort of torture. (I was very hungry!) Otherwise, the break gave me a chance to catch up on my sleep and all of the backed up TiVo recordings!

Even though breaks are nice, it is kind of nice to come back to classes. Mainly because I am close to the end, and I can see the light. That's another story. But my overall routine was thrown off. Oddly enough, school provides some stability to my schedule. I'm sure I will be singing another tune in about a month or two, but I can enjoy being back for now! So I hope everyone enjoyed their break as much as I did, and I hope you enjoy being back... At least the first week or so!

Labels: "Isle of Lights", "Oklahoma City", "wisdom teeth", break, cookies, NBA, stability, TV, Winfield

Now that finals week are well over and break is in full swing, I find that myself looking back on what I have completed. This semester was definitely a challenge; I wish I would have listened when I was warned about taking so many upper-division courses at one time! However, now that it is all said and done, I find that I enjoyed this semester and the challenges it presented. As an education student, I am required to spend so many hours observing in the classroom. This semester I had my first observation class, Field Experience 1. Going into the class, I did not have any formal experience observing in a classroom. As a high school senior, I had taught a substance abuse course at the local middle school, but that was all I had other than just being a student for 13 years. The class really reinforced all of my decisions to become a teacher. I know that is where I am supposed to be. I learned a lot about what it means to be the head of the classroom and different ways to approach the position. This is what it mean to really "get into your major." I was also challenged by my English courses this semester. At the time, I am stressed and worried, but I put everything into the course because I know I need to understand it in order for me to teach it. Definitely one of those things that takes a lot of patience!

Now that I have finished the courses, I am anxiously awaiting my grades. If you have ever waited on all of your final grades to be reported, you know how nerve-wracking that can sometimes be. I like to think of waiting on your grades as waiting on all of the precincts to report during an election. You can't call the race until all of the information has been presented. Yea, I know, this may not have been the greatest analogy, but I felt it got the point across well enough. Anyways, it has been a great ride so far. Now, I get to enjoy my month-long break and prepare for the whole cycle to start again!

Labels: break, education, English, finals, grades, semester