back to school!

by Shannon

… in more ways than one!

For those not “in the know,” which is pretty much everyone, since I have unfortunately dropped off the face of the earth and lost touch with almost everybody, I returned to school this semester. I am currently attending Immaculata University to complete my English degree and earn Secondary Education as well. It took me quite a long time to settle on education, but I am excited to cut my teeth (though admittedly terrified all the same), and I think it was a good decision, if a bit long in coming.

Actually, interestingly enough, considering there were previously no teachers in my family at all, two of my cousins, my step-cousin, both of my sisters and I are all pursuing education, in varying disciplines and grade-levels. Once we are all placed, it will definitely do interesting things to our family get-togethers, as the majority of us will share a field in common.

Anyway, the general result of Big Life Changes is that I am now working fewer hours (oh my goodness, the bills!), but I spend basically all of my other time either in class or doing homework with my sister. We now have weekly homework dates at Starbucks on Fridays, and have established Manifest Destiny over the family room, which is the most comfortable place to work despite the presence of the television and our parents’ proclivity to leave it on at all hours at about a thousand decibels.

Attending school at 25 is so much different than it was previously. It certainly helps that I’m living at home and that my sister has just as much work as I do. Working alongside someone else always does help productivity. I think, though, that it also helps that I’m older. I certainly have more discipline than I previously did. Hopefully that carries through to the end!

Other things of note:

I have a new writing project, though it is admittedly fanfiction and therefore won’t be linked from this blog. It is a crossover between Thor and The Silmarillion. Yeah. Contact me privately if you want details, and I will be more than happy to talk your ear off.

Also, unrelated, there is apparently a (small?) chance that my parents may have to move to LA. I don’t know if they will go through with this, or if my father is pursuing alternate career opportunities. It is strange, because all the other times they threatened to move it would have uprooted me. Now the whole situation is strange and distant. I know that my mother is upset by the possibility, but I find myself weirdly relaxed about the whole thing. I suppose it’s the firm knowledge that whatever happens I am not personally relocating. It would certainly be an inconvenience to have to move out shortly before student teaching, but I have ties here and it doesn’t make any sense for either me or my sister to go. The other two siblings would likely move, and my mother would be upset that we are not coming (if it even happens), but it’s a surprisingly manageable situation. She did seem to brighten considerably when I pointed out that, once we graduate and find teaching positions, we’ll most likely have summers off to visit and be visited.

I don’t know if anyone still knows this blog exists, but if you do, thanks for remembering me after so long!