How I'm Surviving My First Year

Tomorrow is the first day back after the break! It was supposed to be today, but the temperature was "dangerously low" (somewhere in the teens) so they canceled school.

Woo! This is our second snow day and I still haven't seen snow.... so confusing but hey, I'll take the birthday present ;) Speaking of birthdays, I had a GREAT birthday yesterday! I was able to celebrate with my family and friends back home over the weekend and then yesterday we had district PD at my school before going out to sushi with some of my favorite Memphis girls and then watching FSU win the national championship. (This makes my family very happy, so I'm happy.)

When reflecting on the first half of my first year of teaching, I think my biggest lesson has been to take care of myself. It's easy to let teaching (or any first job) just dominate your life. This is how I've survived so far:

1) Books
I LOVE to read and save at least 10 minutes to read before going to bed. Same goes for Saturday mornings. Reading in bed when I don't have to get up early is the. best. thing. ever. Here's what I've been reading lately:

About to start this one!

Read the trilogy and really enjoyed it.
Pretty exciting and a creative concept about a future society

Saw this on a list of books for girls to read in their 20s.
Jennifer Close nailed it.

 2) Birchbox
I told myself I'd start doing this once I got a paycheck! For $10 a  month you get a box of about 5 samples of high-end beauty products. I convinced my roommate, Meghan, and my sister to get them too. Now every month we get a little surprise! It's way  more fun than it sounds ;)

Meghan posing with her first birchbox

3) Bubble baths
I love love love sinking into a hot bubble bath, especially now that's it's FREEZING outside, with one of the books I mentioned above! Meghan's learned that when she comes home and I'm in the bath, it was a rough day...

Minus the dog (missing Sadie)

4) Beale Street
Or just going out in general! All week I look forward to going out with my friends, whether its downtown, midtown, or someone's living room. I've met some of the best people through TFA and they are a strong part of what get me through the day!

Don't mind me posing

5) The Bachelor
Or just horrible television in general. I've never pretended I had good taste in television and as the years go on I see just how far down the rabbit hole I've gone. Oh well. Bring on the dramatic reality shows, ridiculous teen dramas, and absurd people "trying to find love". I'll watch them all.

I also do the brackets for The Bachelor.
Yes. I realize that's not very normal.

So that's a little bit about what I've learned about myself during the first half of the year. Here's to 5 more months of being a first year teacher!