The Eve of Day One

It is delightfully normal to know you could technically start work at 7:50 a.m. and end at 3:15 p.m. Monday-Friday (I will even celebrate driving in rush hour for the next month). What is not delightful...cutting endless bubble letters out of construction paper and obsessing about EXACTLY what you will say to enthrall and intrigue 120 10th graders. Did I mention the nausea that my first adult day of high school is inducing? I can’t find the “off button” for this job yet…

In approximately 12 hours (almost exactly) I will be standing in front of 25 reluctant teenagers attempting to hype them up about World Literature (and I mean HYPE). I have interviewed former Presidents (okay, really it was only one) but I have never wanted to throw up more in my life. My plan for tomorrow- shake their hands, shock them into submission… and then smile sweetly.

As a kid I remember being so excited about the first day of school I couldn’t sleep, like somehow this year I would become the coolest kid in school and change my life forever! Somehow I am not sure my kids will be thinking the same things tonight…. But by golly, they will be pumped tomorrow (or at least curious about the crazy lady in class).

Before I go any farther- let me give you the scoop on my high school. Last year the drop out rate was higher than the graduation rate, and this year we have been deemed a “turn around school”. It means we have a new principal with a new vision and a 50% new staff (let’s hope the kids adapt, preferably by 1st period tomorrow).

So here I am- planning my “name game” (it is way cooler than it sounds, I promise you would play it with dignity) and brainstorming my blazer color for tomorrow. My last goal- figure out how to introduce myself at a school wide assembly. Our principal told us to “say something cool…” YIKES!

Before I go, a heartfelt thanks to my mama for the pep talk and to my Sonic Mocha Java Chiller for the calories, both were needed.