Next Year…

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As a Senior (aka an Old Person), I keep getting the same questions many of you probably are: “What are you doing next year?” “Where do you want to be?” “Have you finished applying places?” It’s exhausting and never ending. Fortunately, I have an answer for them.

Originally, I had a few set answers: “Oh, I’m thinking about maybe going to Graduate School for Public Policy.” “Maybe I’ll spend a year teaching English in France.” “Do you want to hire me?!” You get a little desperate-sounding after a while. All those responses were true (and are possibilities for the future), but as of November 15th, I accepted a position teaching Mathematics in Oklahoma with Teach For America! I know nothing about Oklahoma, but I’m so excited to get to explore a new state. If anyone has any info/cool trivia about these cities, definitely send it my way.

I’m incredibly ecstatic to have this opportunity to try to combat the achievement gap and work with high school age students. For those of you who don’t know, Teach For America is a two-year commitment to teach in some of the worst public schools in the US. All of my TFA alumni friends tell me that it will be the hardest two years of my life, but that it will be so worthwhile. I’m definitely up for the challenge, but I’m really nervous!

Just as getting into college starts a long list of things to do (health forms, housing forms, signing up for billing, shopping, packing, etc.), getting into TFA comes with a ton of stuff to do. I need to register for the PRAXIS to be a certified teacher. I need to read a couple books and fill out a ton of paper work. I need to buy a car. I’m weirdly excited for some of the adult things, like having my own apartment, buying furniture, and being totally independent, but I’m really going to miss all the luxuries afford to me here (like having my bathroom cleaned!) and having all my friends nearby. Even though graduation isn’t for 5 months (exactly), I’m already nostalgic for Vandy.

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Posted by Ryan Higgins on Monday, December 10, 2012 in College Life, General Information, Grad School, Service and tagged: Getting old, graduation, Teach for America, TFA

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