Graduation and Moving Forward...

I'm a GRADUATE of TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY!! A-WH09P! :)

Ok, I just had to get that out. On December 18, 2009 the statement above became fact instead of just a goal I had envisioned in my mind. To be perfectly honest, it never hit me that I was actually graduating until I was standing on the stage telling the announcer my name and being handed my degree. As I walked off the stage and back to my seat holding 3 and a half years of hard work in my hand, all I could think about was "finally." Finally, I can move on to the next degree and phase of my life.

*Sigh* I must add this sigh of relief because this has been quite the semester. Where to begin? Well, classes went well, I got to take my first graduate class (and loved it) and formed new relationships that will last me a lifetime. However, I also managed to get mono and spent most of the semester sick in bed. The fact that I was able to force myself to still go through my routine and pass my classes is a miracle when factoring in how I felt. I'm still fighting the mono now, but at least it's somewhat under control.

I'm a very impatient person, which makes life difficult sometimes. There is so much I want to accomplish, but I have to WAIT, always wait for things to happen. Yes, I'm a college graduate, but I'm still so far away from accomplishing my goals.

In the Spring, I will be student teaching to finish the requirements for my teaching certificate while I start my Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction with an emphasis in Reading and Language Arts Education. As always, I'm hoping to rush through this masters degree so I can begin a PhD as soon as possible. I hope to finish my masters by August 2011...we'll see how that goes. I also hope to land a fulltime high school teaching position in the Fall. :) I will teach while I finish my masters, a pretty neat combination.

So, what does the life of a college graduate look like? For the next few weeks, I plan to shop, watch lots of football, read some great books, cook and just enjoy a relaxing break. So far, I'm excelling at this. :) I will begin student teaching on January 5th and graduate classes on January 19th. I also plan to work as an intern for a few hours a week at Texas A&M. I will be overseeing the activities of MSC Hospitality. :) Lastly, I plan to do some independent tutoring and editing work to make a little extra money. I have many plans and goals ahead of me that are just waiting to get accomplished.

Welcome to the next phase of my life. I'm excited and can't wait to see what is in store for me. :)

-Tracey "the college graduate"

It's all in His hands

This past year has been one of the most complex and confusing years I've ever experienced. The actual events that have caused my confusion were bad, and painful, but they were not the sole reason for my hardship. In reality, I just felt lost. I really felt like I had no direction in life and I was doomed to fail. Now, knowing me, this is completely out of character. Usually, I have a clear plan and know what I am after in life, then I work hard to acocmplish that. However, it seemed like my grand plans were failing on me and it was out of my control. This frustration has made the past year difficult, but not necessarily because of the tough events and expierences I had to go through.

Recently, I have come to some peace in the midst of all of this confusion. I have discovered that life really is about Jeremiah 29:11. God has better plans for me than I have for myself and He feels that I have reached a point where I am ready to listen to Him. Before, I was so consumed by my pain that I wasn't listening and I wasn't hearing what was right. Now, I am more relaxed and am ready for the answers I've waited for. In the past week, God has answered many of my questions through very real and shocking experiences. For the first time in my life, I am listening to these answers and taking them for everything they mean. I know that God has greatness planned for me and knowing that He is in control has put me at ease and helped me battle some true heartbreak.

It's all in His hands, it's out of mine and I can take comfort knowing that the best possible plan for my life will carry itself out if I only let God control it. :)

-Tracey

The beginning of the end...

As this title appropriately shows, tomorrow will be the first day of my last undergraduate semester at Texas A&M University. Like most soon-to-be college graduates, I have been thinking about the past three years, what they have meant to me and what the future holds. I am eager for what is coming and really cannot wait to move on towards pursuing my goals, but I am still nervous to be finished with this milestone. Here is a little reflection of my journey through A&M...

Freshman Year

This year was exciting and new. I started out as a business major and knew relatively few people. I remember thinking, on one of my first trecks across campus, that I would never be able to walk from class to class and pass people I knew. This place was so big! However, I quickly learned that campus really isn't so big after all, and I walk to class each day passing numerous friends and classmates. :) I also had a rough time finding my niche the first semester. I joined 3 organizations and tried to find my place. I made GREAT grades (Dean's List) and met some terrific people. The second semester was the one that began to change everything. I decided business was not for me. While I was good at it, I just didn't have a heart for it. I didn't know what to major it at this point, but was hopeful that something would stimulate my curiosity. I also joined a service organization and Fish Camp. These two organizations changed my life. I found out just how much I love service, leadership, mentoring young adults and in general, helping others. In addition to these organizations, I began volunteering at local elementary schools tutoring students in math and reading, and I worked at the West Campus Library.

Sophomore Year

The very first day of class, I changed my major to English rhetoric and added a psychology minor. I had decided that I wanted to help change the lives of students. This was a great decision that has had an influence on everything else I have done. I became a leader in my service organization, had the best time of my life as a Fish Camp counselor and joined at teacher organization. I continued tutoring elementary students. My classes kept me very busy. I got to take literature, writing, Spanish, psychology and some basic classes. I became a Fish Camp counselor for the second time. Then, I spent the summer following my sophomore year working camps at the Children's Museum, teaching students at Sylvan (best job ever!) and taking more classes.

Junior Year

This year was, without a doubt, the hardest and most significant of all my undergraduate years. This is the year that changed the course of my life. I am an instrinsically motivated person who accomplishes everything I set out to do. Things that are important to me permeate my life and take precedence over all other things. My junior year, the plan I had for my life fell apart, granted it was a plan that did not revolve around myself or my best interests. For the first time since coming to college, I had to evaluate where my life was going, where I wanted it to go and what I wanted to accomplish. I had to be very selfish and think of myself, completely. I was all set and prepared to graduate in May of 2009, but now I wasn't so sure. I did not have enough time to apply to graduate school and didn't know what I wanted to do. So, I added a business administration minor (ironic, I know) to keep me in school until December, long enough to figure out what to do.

The good things from my junior year, were that I was a leader in my service organization and got to plan numerous service projects for the local community to promote literacy and education (my passion). Secondly, I got to serve as a leader in my teacher organization which gave me a greater depth of knowledge about my future profession. I got to attend numerous leadership conferences and take more exciting and interesting classes. I worked as a writing tutor for the athletic department on campus, a substitute teacher and an instructor at Sylvan and still tutored children at local elementary schools. I took one class that summer, worked, volunteered and relaxed in preparation for my sernior semester. Most importantly during my junior year, I turned 21 and got my Fightin' Texas Aggie Ring (A-WH10P!).

Senior Semester

FINALLY!! So, tomorrow is the big day that marks the beginning of my senior semester. I will be graduating December 18th or 19th (we find out in September) and cannot wait! I am still a leader in my service organization, teacher organization and the memorial student center and I'm still working as a writing tutor and tutoring elementary students. I'm living in a house with some great girls and taking some of the most interesting classes yet. I applied to graduate school and am waiting for a response, but I get to take my first graduate class this semester! I am also fulfilling the requirements to gain my teacher certification. This semester is going to be a blast and I cannot wait until tomorrow.

A lot has happened in three years. I'm sad, but excited to be done with my bachelor's degree and to graduate. In the spring, I will be student teaching and beginning my master's degree in curriculum and instruction. From there, I hope to finish my master's degree quickly and move on to my PhD. This has been my ultimate goal for a long time and my motivation for everything I do. I hope to obtain a job that allows me to work in a school district helping students of all ages overcome reading and learning disabilities while teaching classes at a local university. :)

Stay tuned for what comes next...

-Tracey

Happy Birthday to me!

I'm 22!! Yay!

So, as I begin my life in the double-duece year, I am reflecting upon the past year. 21 is supposed to be a glamorous time full of new adventures and excitement. Well, that definitely represents my 21st year, but it was not all great. Many of my adventures and excitement were caused by rough patches and blessings in disguise. However, some of the greatest moments of my life happened in this year: I got my Aggie Ring, I discovered truer and deeper friendships than I could ever imagine, I found out how blessed I truly am with a family that loves and supports me and I got to focus on myself for the first time in a long time.

22 brings forth many new milestones. At 22, I will graduate from college with my bachelor's degree, begin my teaching career and start my master's degree. I look forward to all of the unanticipated adventures I will experience this next year. It is bound to be a great year! I have high expectations, as usual, but I'm living for the wonderful moments I get to have with the people I love most.

Tracey

Living a Dream

Life is good; not great, as there are always some obstacles to work through, but definitely good. A few weeks ago I had the most wonderful experience I could imagine. I got to experience one of my dream vacations: New York City. To say that it was amazing would be putting it lightly. I had a blast and was finally able to forget all my troubles and the obstacles I face at home. It was a true blessing. :)

We arrived in New York City on Sunday, but our room was not ready so we walked around the city. We walked up and down Madison Avenue where a giant market days event was occurring. Many vendors, lots of fun stuff to buy and lots of food. It was great. We also made our first, yes only first, trip to Saks Fifth Avenue (the closest thing to a shoe-lover's heaven on Earth!). We finally got into our room, on the 31st floor ,which over-looked Central Park! We went to eat and then took a carriage ride around Central Park. Not bad for the first day. On Monday, we woke up bright and early (5:30) and walked to Rockefellar Plaza to watch The Fray perform live. Oh yea, and we were on the Today Show as well. No big deal. We also took a tour of downtown Manhattan and travelled to the 86th floor of the Empire State Building which was quite amazing. Then we toured some more and went back to the hotel.

On Tuesday, we toured uptown Manhattan and Harlem then went to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. We aren't much of art enthusists, but we had fun. Later that day we went to Time Square and Macy's. On Wednesday we had a long, but fun day. We finally got to say the Statue of Liberty, Liberty Island and went to a Broadway show! We saw Wicked which was fabulous despite the disappoint of the book it originates from. As we were walking home from the show, we got to see Time Square at night! Thursday was our day with Dad, so we went to the American Museum of Natural History, which has an amazing dinosaur wing! We also walked through Central Park and just enjoyed our last night in New York City.

The trip was far too short, but completely amazing and just what I needed. Now, I am back in College Station having as much fun as possible. I just moved into a house with some friends and love it so much more than living in an apartment. I am also working on completing my requirements for my teacher certification program. I received my test scores from my certification exam earlier in the week; I passed with flying colors.

I will be graduating in December (less than 5 months, oh my) and will student teach in the spring. In May, I will be a fully certified teacher and will begin my masters studies in the summer. I will complete my masters over the next few years while I teach high school English. I am so excited for this next year. I can't wait to make some fabulous new memories! :)

-Tracey

Instant Gratification

In two words, I was able to sum up the difference between younger and older generations of today. Younger generations, mine for example, want instant gratification in everything we do, yet we rarely achieve it. Today, I got the blessing of feeling true instant gratification while reinforcing that I am doing what I was meant to do. I have chosen the perfect career path in being a teacher and a school psychologist.

At Sylvan on Monday, I was given a student that I had never worked with before. This student is a regular at Sylvan, so I had seen him and noticed his behaviors. He was odd, and something was just a little different about him, but since I had never worked with him, I was unaware of what this difference might be. He would randomly start yelling or singing during class and I noticed that he was often difficult to keep on task. I didn't know what to do with this student but decided I would do what I thought was best and try a variety of strategies to keep him focused and motivated.

Well, the hour was just awful. I was having a bad day and couldn't connect with the students, they were having an off day and couldn't stay focused. I left work feeling completely unproductive and like I had just wasted precious time with those students, this one little boy in particular. At the end of the hour his dad approached me. He said he had noticed my struggles with his son. I mentioned that it was difficult to get work out of him today and the father said he figured today would be a bad day for the boy. "Oh, and you did know he is autisic, right?" Well, obviously I didn't know this. I had never worked with an autistic child before so I really had no idea what to do. I thought about this a lot for the next few days. Here I am, planning to get a PhD in school psychology to help students with reading and learning disabilities, which could very well include autistic children. I was given the opportunity to put my skills to the test and I failed. Is this really the career for me? Will I be able to help these students and make a difference in their lives so they can be successful? I have been pondering these questions for the past few days, and really haven't been able to come up with an anwer for them. I got my answer tonight.

Tonight, I was teaching and was given the same little boy at my table. I'll be honest, I was really nervous to see him again. I told myself that I was a good teacher and just to do my best to help him. It would work. I worked really hard with him, asking him to help me understand the reading passages and complicated words, while helping him decipher words unknown to him. To my astonishment, we succeeded in completing five assignments. I have never been more proud of a student or my own teaching abilities. Before he left I said, "Go outside and tell your dad that you completed five assignments tonight," in my most excited voice. He looked so pleased with himself and skipped outside. A few minutes later he and his dad left, both smiling. The success of that little boy, the smile on his face and the overwhelmingly good feeling I had was my instant gratification. It told me that I have definitely picked the right career. I will be able to make a difference in the lives of children struggling with reading and learning disabilities, and most importantly, I will be happy every day of my life. I can't place this feeling into words, it's that good.

Instant gratification may be difficult for most people to experience in their careers, but I am blessed enough to get to feel it every day. :)

-Tracey

New Travels, New Home, New Beginnings...

*SIGH* That felt good. July is finally here and with it comes many new adventures for me. First of all, I will be taking a trip to New York City; a place I have wanted to visit since I was very young. The busyness, intrigue and chaos interest me and I am ready to become part of this never-ending city.

Secondly, I will be moving out of my apartment (that I am not very fond of) into a house! In preparation for the move, I am desperately trying to consolidate and down-size my belongings. In three years and three moves, this down-size has never occurred. Therefore, I have accumulated a lot of junk that I really don't need. The mantra is: if I haven't used it in the last month, it's gone. :)

With many new adventures coming toward me, I am excited for the future. This next year is my senior year (well, semester really) and will prove to be exciting. Graduate school will be challenging but will provide me with the knowledge I need to pursue my dreams. I look forward to and anticipate many new people coming into my life as some people have left my life.

New beginnings may be somewhat scary, but they are worth every risk and create amazing memories as they become part of the past.

-Tracey