Year of the Nerves?

All the deadlines have passed. All fees are paid. Let the waiting begin.

I was actually surprised this week by an email from University of Rochester inviting me to an Interview Weekend in February! I suppose I made the first cut? Sure hope so! I’m also hoping my host teacher will let me take that Friday off since it seems like the interviews are held on the Friday of the weekend. This surprise gets my hopes up a bit for an offer of admission. I’m still so terribly nervous about it! My stomach gets knots whenever I check my email, hoping to see some semblance of a positive reaction to my application. Oh, the nerves.

Coming back to the present, I met my host teacher this past Friday and she gave me a pile of books and materials a foot tall to use for the next six weeks. EEK. I’ve been excited to start planning but haven’t gotten the nerve to break into the pile. Maybe tonight when I go visit Mandy, she’s in the same school for the first placement so I won’t be alone in this. I thought I wouldn’t be as nervous about teaching, but it’s definitely hitting me now. This semester is going to be so horrible on my nerves!

My teacher wants me to observe the first week and begin teaching two classes (same lesson on different days) the following week. Lesson plans of any format are due to her a week before implementation. Not too bad for me! I just hope my supervisor isn’t much more strict. I am counting on getting ahead on my lesson plans over this next and figuring everything out. Fingers crossed!

Winter break is coming to a close and I’m okay with that. Had some good holidays, visited family, and welcomed a new cute nephew to the family! Oh! And spent a week in New Orleans with some of my favorite people! The presentation went well, not as well as I had expected, but it’s the nerves again… always the nerves. I missed my REU crew so much, I just wished the weather was a little better most of the week, I had a bit more money to spend, and that food sickness never happened (thankfully, that wasn’t me). Since my camera is still out of whack, Keith has all the good photos… well… AMAZING photos! I can’t wait to see them all myself!

I really do think my nerves are permeating my subconscious. I dreamt last night of parachuting or jumping out of a raised moving platform of some sort. It was like a house and the only way to leave was to jump. Apparently my dogs jumped and were just fine because, well, dogs do that in my dream. I felt so sick when I got too close to the edge, but so exhilarated! I awoke with an urge to go skydiving just to get that feeling again. But I’m sure I’ll get that feeling each time I get a letter from a college or a phone call from an unknown number. I’ll feel it when I move someplace completely new. I know I’ll feel it, but now I feel like I need that exhilarating rush despite all those nerves. Let’s see where this semester, last of my undergraduate career, will lead.

Progress? Perhaps.

1. Decide on program of interest.
2. Search for possible schools.
3. Make list of schools to apply to.
4. Complete applications.
5. Wait.

So this is supposed to be the graduate school application process. With due dates beginning December 15th and my knack for being ahead of the game, you would think I’m already beyond step five. Ha! I wish I was there! Sadly, I made today my cut off for step two! True, I have made up a list of possible schools, yet it has been far from finalized. Even Keith is tired of hearing about this horribly indecisive process.

I have a total of eight school to which I plan on applying. I have emailed potential letter-writers about drawing up a letter for me. My resume (CV?) is next on my to-do list. This coming week will be the transcript-send-out as well as getting the GRE scores sent. At least we’re seeing progress now!

Most Recent (hopefully final!) Grad School List

I am glad I have had much, much more time to myself after those several weeks of pure stress. I’m caught up with most of my work and have had time to relax with friends and family. Thanksgiving break has been… busy, like usual. I’m always feeling so busy when I’m home because I’m trying to see all the family in the short time span. I think I watch more TV at school than when I’m home and supposed to be relaxing! The holiday meals were fabulous and most definitely filling! Leftovers WILL be in my fridge at school for dinner this week, this is a must.

While this welcomed break comes to an unfortunate close tomorrow, I’ll be glad to be back in my townhouse and back to being productive. Here’s to actually filling out those applications!