Rookie of the Year

I graduated three months ago.  I walked across the stage, grabbed my fake diploma holder, shook the president's hand, and walked back to my seat.  I was radiating with a mixture of pride, newfound adulthood, and strong desire to get out of that arena and pack my stuff up and start my real life. 
Three weeks later, I had a job landed.  I was the brand new music teacher in Enumclaw, WA. I spent my summer looking at teaching magazines, apartment hunting on craigslist, and enjoying my last summer of riding around in gas guzzling trucks, couch surfing, and going on dates in the middle of the day on a Tuesday. I was getting ready to be a teacher and a real life grown up who plans lessons a month in advance, and drives an efficient sedan and has a small but nicely furnished apartment.

It's one week into the school year.  I'm currently sleeping on a mattress pad in the spare room of my best friend's barn loft apartment.  I loosely plan my lessons the weekend before, and firm up details as the week goes along.  I drive my same little toyota held together by epoxy and luck.  I'm still learning things like the location of the staff bathrooms, where I'm allowed to park, and that I AM in fact allowed to leave my classroom and the building to get coffee or food during lunch.  I am also learning the names of my 500-some phenomenal students.  We're having a blast.  I get to watch them dance, and I get a "thank you" and "you're awesome" from at least one student a day.  My colleagues have shown me their appreciation in forms like little gifts from my classroom, thank you emails, comments at lunch, and even a full on hug in front of some of my third graders.  This is nothing like I expected.  This is nothing like I was prepared for.  Some of it kind of sucks.  Some of it makes me laugh so hard my belly hurts. 
So I put together a blog. I wanted to record this time in my life.  This time in my life is going to be trying and joyous, difficult and telling.  I'm hoping that this blog serves as a way to share my day in day out funny stories with my family and friends, as well as a way to reflect on my success and mistakes.  Perhaps it will be a way to put my feelers out there for other young teachers and we can bond over our shared experiences.  Who knows.