The realization that I’ll be working and living relatively independently next year has caused me to be a lot more thoughtful about how I spend my time. I’m trying to prepare as much as possible for this transition to a new kind of life, and I’ve been really enjoying this learning process.

I’m not really learning things directly related to working, but I’m just trying to become more experienced in how the world works, so I’ve just been trying new things. So far I’ve found opportunities to learn how to make different kinds of food, to work with my hands in construction related activities, to exercise more, and most rewarding of all, to become more interpersonal.

I never really realized this until student teaching, but I’ve been extremely independent and intrapersonal all my life. I did do juggling and performance related stuff, but all in all, I haven’t been very good in social situations, and I wasn’t very talkative, for whatever reason.

So this summer, I’ve just really been enjoying chatting with and hanging out with people more, and being much less independent-minded. I’ve definitely become better in my ability to converse with people and to find time to hang out with people, and it’s been quite an amazing change. I think that this summer I’ve literally changed into much more of a people person; for the first time, I like spending time with people more than I like the relaxation and solitude of being alone. Although I’m probably still an intravert, I have much more of an extravert side now.

All in all, I think I’ve just gained a lot of confident in different types of situations. That was definitely the most eye-opening part of student teaching… realizing just how easily I get nervous. But now I feel a lot more at ease with myself, and I am so glad I experienced the difficulty of student teaching. I would definitely not be who I am today had I not went through that trial.

Plus, I can drive a construction lift now, which is quite a manly vehicle. And my friend says he’s going to teach me how to drive a mini-bulldozer next. That’ll feel quite good if I manage to learn that. Ah, this summer has been so rewarding in so many different ways.

I am so blessed that I have a free summer to learn and grow in all of these things, and that I have people to spend time with and learn from.