May 3, 2033 Dear former me, It seems like only yesterday, I was at UP. It was the spring term, 2023. So much has happened since then. It's crazy to think that a whole decade has passed. 10 years ago from today, or I guess your present, I was finishing up finals and getting ready to graduate with my Bachelors in Education and my teaching license (congratulations, by the way!). It's so weird to think that you're applying to jobs to be an Elementary teacher. I know it seems scary, but remember how exciting it will be to finally fulfill your dream of educating young minds. :) Like you've experienced recently, the past 10 years have been an emotional rollercoaster. We've gone to a few different grades since joining the team (I won't tell you where though, that can be a surprise for you :) ). While it feels like the stress will never go away at times, this journey has overall felt so rewarding, and trust me when I say there's no greater feeling than seeing your students grow and eventually graduate. That's right, we had our first set of students GRADUATE high school. Isn't that insane to think about?! It was so nice to see them all grown up and talk to a few about what it was like to attend UP. The memories and connections you will make over the next 10 years will be so so amazing. While it seems like your career and life could go down a million different paths, just know that whatever you choose will be the best choice for you in the moment, and will lead you down a great path. Make sure you take care of yourself, enjoy the little things, and have the most amazing next 10 years!
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Photo by Kate Macate on Unsplash