Graduation

In 2008, when I participated in graduation... I thought there was no way I would go back to school. I was ready for a new career, a new lifestyle, and I thought I had spent enough time in a classroom. Little did I know that in 3 years I would be back in the classroom and 4 years later I would be back in Gampel Pavilion receiving another degree.

Getting my Masters was different.. I had more on the line, I had gone back to school for myself and not just because everyone goes to college or higher education. I wanted to change my career, and pretty much my track for the rest of my life. It was special in terms of I really figured out what I wanted to do with my life and how I wanted to actually be in a classroom for the rest of my life :)

As I sat around some of my best friends that I have met, and looked up at my family there, I realized that education is something that everyone has to pursue themselves, and cannot always be pushed upon you. As I embark on a career as an educator myself, I have fully realized that one person can only push students so far, there has to be that drive in them to explore and learn on their own. And when that is found then there can be true knowledge learned.

It was hard to give up what I had to go back to school, but my advice to anyone thinking about it, if you are driven and you know it is what you want, do not let anything get in your way. Your time is short and you should take advantage of any opportunity you have.

Now to my classmates, the future of Educators and anyone else graduating this May... take this new step of your life in stride. Understand that things might not always go the way you planned, but we all will get to where we want to be as long as you stay focused and driven. Conrgats on your accomplishments, to me I hope to see my name outside a middle school classroom come August. We will see where the summer takes me :)