A College Graduate

I am now a college graduate, and the diploma that I received at graduation (which was really just a picture of a turtle disguised as a diploma) means that I now have the knowledge and the skills required to succeed in the real world. Leaving behind the support system that is college, all of my friends and I are now expected to live an independent life, find a job, and financially support ourselves (unless you're one of those people who are living back at home). And thankfully, I was able to find a job! However, my job is starting to seem like it may remind me college.

Four years ago, I left home to move to a new state that I knew nothing about. I didn't know how to use public transportation, do my own laundry, or cook. And while I started to get worried about making friends when the guy next door kept a trunk full of knives under his bed, living in a freshman dorm allowed me to become close with lots of great people who I am still friends with and hope to stay friends with in the future.

Now, in a little over a week I will be embarking on a cross-country road trip to again move to a new unfamiliar area in a new state, but instead of starting college I will be starting my 2-year commitment to teach at a public or public charter school for the nonprofit organization Teach For America. For the summer, I will again be living in dorms, but this time I will be living with other "2010 corps members." Instead of attending undergraduate classes, writing papers, and taking tests, I will be teaching at a district summer school program under the supervision of veteran teachers, participating in professional development classes and clinics, and administering tests.

I don't feel as though I'm completely on my own as a college graduate. This is partly due to receiving friendly weekly and sometimes daily email updates from the TFA-L.A. staff, and partly due to having already met energetic and enthusiastic 2010 corps members as well as current corps members from all parts of the country. Having this support system has made this new experience seem more like College Part II than a new job.

However, I am prepared for this perception to be completely shattered when I am in front of my own classroom in Los Angeles in a few weeks without having had any prior experience in the field of education. And I look forward to this challenge. Through hard work and determination, I hope to one day be known by my students as "the hot teacher."