"Challenges are what make life interesting and overcoming them is what makes life meaningful." -Joshua J. Marine

Hello blog readers! I'M BACK! For a minute... 

It is currently raining, more like storming, in Iowa City and honestly I've been thinking about writing a blog post to update you all on my summer. This seems like the perfect time considering I need a solid break from studying for not one... but TWO psychology finals on Thursday. (I've been in Iowa City all summer finishing up a psychology minor) 

Last night Beyonce and Nicki Minaj released a song together and for those of you who don't know, I love Nicki Minaj and Beyonce! Anything they produce seems to be on my 'listen on repeat until I hate it' playlist. The song was a remix of Beyonce's Flawless, which was one of my favorite songs from her newest album. I was THRILLED two of my favorites artists did an incredible remix together! I instantly downloaded it to my iTunes, iPhone, and iPod so I could listen to it basically all the time. It was a nice, upbeat change from my current favorite study buddy, Ed Sheeran. He has been singing his two albums to me on repeat while I studying for my two finals. There is just something calming about his voice that almost makes studying enjoyable. :) 

This morning was absolutely beautiful in Iowa City. The sun was shining and there was a nice cool breeze. Since I had to move out of my house last week my walk to class has changed from two minutes to about fifteen minutes. I've enjoyed this change because it's calming to put in my headphones, choose a playlist, and think about life as I walk to class. 

I was extra excited about this walk because I knew I was going to play the Flawless remix until I reached my classroom. I turned on my iPod and put on my sunglasses and walked outside smiling because I was listening to my current favorite song. I was SO happy to be outside, listening to music, and walking off to my last Monday of class in Iowa City. I'm pretty sure I was mouthing the words and somewhat dancing my way to class... oh well! I was in a great mood. 

Right as I reached the edge of downtown Iowa City, something hit me. 

My last semester in Iowa City has been a pretty incredible one, close to perfect. I couldn't help but think of all the amazing things that have happened to me. Here is what immediately comes to mind: 

1. I was approved to participate in two practicums at the same time. 
They warned me this would be tough or nearly impossible to handle on top of four other classes. In total I took 17 semester hours, spent 150 hours in classrooms, and managed to make it out alive. Let's just say Monday was never fun... I was scheduled from 8AM to 7:15 PM with an hour break in the middle. The point is with hard work, time management, and some spunky kindergarteners I found the energy to wake up every morning and do it again. 

2. I passed all three of my licensure exams on the my first attempt. 
I do not believe these exams are supposed to be too difficult to pass but I do believe they do require studying, especially the content knowledge test! I had to brush up on a lot of social studies material. That was probably for the best! Any 22 year old should know all the branches of government, right? Luckily the principles of teaching and learning test came naturally because of my fantastic teach ed program at the University of Iowa. I new there was a reason they added all those extra course requirements. ;) 

3. I was approved to come back to Illinois to student teach. 
If you know anything about the process of being approved to come home to student teach, you would understand how ecstatic I was about this! When I heard someone was approved to leave Iowa to student teach I assumed they were an education genius. The GPA requirement is incredibly high, the application is detailed, and space limited. Let's just say I wasn't too optimistic it would work in my favor. I never felt like someone who fit into the 'top of the class' category. On a cold snowy day, I was studying for my final licensure exam in the IMU when suddenly I received an e-mail saying I would be student teaching in Illinois! Wow. My roommates did not understand how big of a deal this was but everyone else in my program was quick to congratulate me. 

4. A recruiter from a very special organization wanted to meet with me about possibly applying to join the organization he is apart of in 2015... I will elaborate more on this later. Lets just say people say a famous education reformer in New York stated, "I don't think I would get in today, they are more selective than Harvard!" 
See you soon South Carolina!

5. I completed a year long internship at the Pomerantz Career Center. 
I applied for an education internship at the career center thinking I would not get it. I decided to take the chance anyway and see what would happen, I needed to fill my summer somehow. To my surprise I was offered the position for the fall semester! It was everything I wanted and more. I was able to use my computer skills and knowledge about the field of education in one job. I was so excited everyday to work on a project whether it was creating a tips sheet for job interviewing or adding to a massive Excel document containing every principal and superintendent in the state of Iowa. I was beyond excited to have my position extended to the spring semester. Not to mention, I had the most incredible boss in the world. She truly gave me room to not only do what I wanted with my job but pushed me to grow as a person and professional. I don't think she understood how much I learned about working in the field of education because I worked for her. I had so much insight into what principals and superintendents look for in new teachers and in general how to have a successful job search experience. She was not just a boss to me, she was also my personal life counselor. I always felt like she cared about me and wanted to know about my life. Our Friday afternoon life vent sessions were some of my favorite moments with her. She has so greatly impacted my life. 

6. I was approved to walk early in graduation for May 2014. 
Although I constantly referred to this as my 'fake graduation' or 'graduation part one'. I did accomplishment something, I finished all of my general education requirements plus almost my entire elementary education degree. Now I like to think I am just lucky enough to celebrate my time at Iowa twice! Although I am pretty sure 'graduation part two' will be even more special than part one. :)

7. I unexpectedly completed a minor in psychology. 
What happens when you click around exploring random minors on a degree audit? You find out you almost have a psychology minor! In January of 2014 I found out I was only two classes away from having a second degree, a psychology minor. Although I was not thrilled about spending another summer in Iowa taking two classes, in the back of my mind I knew I would feel pretty good about it after it was all over. In the end, did I enjoy my summer? Honestly, not at all. My classes ended up being a lot of work and I had to deal with moving out of my house and living with other friends for a week and a half after my lease ended. This summer was less than ideal. Did I learn something in my psychology classes? Absolutely. I even caught myself enjoying the classes! In the end... I learned A LOT. I have a new appreciation for the field of psychology and feel decently confident that I could identify common disorders found in future students of mine. If anything, I feel like I can more confidently read an IEP and really know how to help a student because I have a general background in the disorder all while being their classroom teacher. Maybe this wasn't such a bad idea... thanks mom and dad, since I know you are reading this! 

8. I ended my time at Iowa full of experiences that I never thought I would have. 
Here is a general list of things I participated in at Iowa...(in no particular order) 
I participated in Dance Marathon for two years, started a field hockey club, worked as an education intern at the Pomerantz Career Center, served as VP Operations for AEPhi for one semester, attended a sorority leadership convention in Atlanta, served as VP New Member Education for four semesters, volunteered for sixty hours in a senior center teaching senior citizens how to use computers, and volunteered twenty hours with Habitat for Humanity in Iowa City. These were all things I participated in by choices and have truly shaped who I became during my time at Iowa. These experiences are all super unique in what I learned while participating in them and what I took away from them. GETTING INVOLVED IS GREAT! 

9. I was taught by an amazing staff of professors and faculty at the University of Iowa, specifically in the College of Education. 
The professors and faculty I had the pleasure of being in class with or working for have greatly impacted my time at Iowa. So many professors in the College of Education have truly taught me what it means to be a teacher and have helped shape me into the teacher I will be one day. They never stopped challenging me and showing me how to make myself continually better. At times I become very frustrating with their methods because I always felt overworked but in the end, they had a point. I feel more than ready to put myself into a classroom and demonstrate my skills in teaching and be an effective communicator to my students. I know this program is a tough one to be apart of but as I come to the end of it I am realizing how fortunate I was to learn how to become a teacher at the University of Iowa. I am so lucky... and usually exhausted. 

10. I left college with best friends. 
My friends mean the world to me. They really do. I always thought the friends I made at Iowa were extra special because the circumstances were different here. I never lived with my friends from Deerfield and we could never just see each other whenever we wanted. I met a lot of people my first two years at Iowa. Some of these people are people I will never forget and always want in my life. They are the ones who kept me up all night laughing, blasted music and sang along with me, took random trips to get fast food at all hours, kept me sane when I thought life was just a little too much to handle, and gave me so many memories that I just can't help but smile about when I think of them.  It's scary to think that we are all becoming 'real adults' as I like to say but I know my friends will do incredible things and I will just be lucky to know them. My best friend from college is already off at a fancy job in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. I know I never told her enough but I am so proud of her for everything she has accomplished. She truly deserves so much success in her life. She was a constant force behind my success at Iowa. Whenever I wanted to quit and just accept defeat she was usually the one telling me to get over it and get back up. She was my personal life counselor, math homework helper, and best friend all in one. I am not sure I ever helped her in ways she helped me but I do know I kept her laughing and was her partner in crime when it came to pizza and Netflix. 

College: Mission ALMOST Accomplished

All I can say for now is that I am leaving Iowa City on the highest note possible. Attending the University of Iowa was hands down the best decision I have made in my life so far. I had no idea once I moved into that dorm room in Burge of August, 2010 that any of this would happen. If someone would have read this list off to me and said this is where I would be four year later, I wouldn't believe any of it. This person sounds too involved and experienced to be me. Well, it turned out to be me. Who knew. 

I owe my success to the University of Iowa and everyone who was there to experience it with me. I am so proud to be a future teacher who will be licensed from this University. For now it doesn't even feel real that my time in Iowa City is over and soon my time with the University will be over as well. 

Three weeks from today I'll be standing in a 2nd grade classroom at South Park Elementary School meeting my students. Every time I think about this moment I smile. Just thinking about being back in a classroom makes me beyond excited, I think I chose the right career! These students are going to really show me what it means to be an elementary school teacher. I am nervous, anxious, and all around excited. I kind of miss being Miss Brailov. I didn't think I would enjoy that title but it grew on me last semester. 

Well, here I am. Leaving Iowa City in three days and student teaching in three weeks. I never thought I would be at this point in my life or that I would be this thrilled about it. I am a pretty lucky kid! I got everything I wanted out of the University of Iowa. It could not have been a better experience. The quote title of this blog really summarizes my time at Iowa. 

"Challenges are what make life interesting and overcoming them is what makes life meaningful." -Joshua J. Marine

My life is incredible. 

I cannot wait to share my student teaching journey with you all! See you all in a few!