i can be the one

Well.

Remember that documentary I told you guys I had to watch?

It has changed my life.

Well, more like re-inspired me.

Here's the thing, everyone.

I don't know if you know about this, but I'm going to be a teacher. That's right. My major at my university is Elementary Education. But when I first started school up here, I had every intention of being an interior designer. I cannot describe my love for all things beautiful, and especially being the one behind designing them. I thought it was the greatest thing. Converted ever since I saw my first episode of Trading Spaces when I was thirteen. And honestly, I was good at it. Freshman year, I realized that the program was really hard, and demanding. But I wanted it. Really bad. I worked hard, I impressed my professors, and I was accepted into the program.

But the whole time my application had been pending, I was thinking... what do I do if I don't get in?

Well, I'll just have to be a teacher.

These thoughts have followed me my whole life. The little nagging ones in the back of your mind... be a teacher, be a teacher, be a teacher.

But I shrugged them off. Because teacher's don't get anything. No money, no glory, no respect... what's the point? I didn't want to be in that position. I wanted more. (I'm so silly sometimes.)

Sophomore year came around, and with it, an even more difficult course load of Interior Design classes. I spent hours and hours in the studio designing a 500 sq ft house for the famous "tiny house" project.

my interior design days.

Hours. And Hours. And hours.

And it was good, and my house was awesome. But I watched the rest of my classmates carefully, and I noticed they all had something in common... they were passionate about it. They looked at their house and saw all their hopes and dreams in it. 

I looked at my house and saw a cool design, and a lot of hours.

And that nagging thought became bigger and bigger...

Be a teacher. Be a teacher. Be a teacher.

So you know what? I listened.

On the last day of the semester, I flew around campus collecting all the documents I needed, filled them out, and changed my major. Just. Like. That.

My professors were upset with me.

I later learned that they described me as a huge disappointment.

But you know what? 

I have never looked back.

Because I am passionate about teaching.

I look at those little people, and I see children who can be anything. Anything! All they need is to be told that they can. That they're smart. That they're important. That they have potential. 

They need attention. They need love. They need friends. They need to know that they matter.

And as I watched this documentary, I realized just how many children there are around the world who DON'T get that. They get left behind. People push them through the public school system, just to get them out of sight. They end up feeling worthless, dropping out of school...

Wouldn't you drop out of school if you were in high school and three grade levels behind?

And so, here, in writing on this blog, for all eyes to see,

I PROMISE you. I will never let that happen. 

I will be the best teacher I can be. Because it's not about ME. It's about THEM. 

I'm going to do something to fix it. All of it. I'm sick of thinking that to myself, and then feeling like it's too big. Too big for me to make a difference. It is big. It's huge. But I will be a part of fixing education. I can do it. I can be the one.

Change education... change the world.

p.s. you can watch the documentary on youtube. It's in 11 parts. They're all equally important. Waiting for Superman. (<-- that's me! I'm super...woman :))