What’s sleep?

Three days in to my Institute experience, I have to say that I have no idea. Every day, I wake up at 6 to get ready for the day. I spend all day at Will Rogers High School, learning how to teach in intensive 2 hour blocks. During this time, I fantasize about how amazing my nap will be when I get back. Then, I get back from school and keep putting off the nap. First, to play soccer or ultimate with the guys, then to attend more management sessions or to do my own homework, which includes writing lesson plans, reading books on teaching, or coming up with my own personal vision for my classroom. The nap never comes, and around midnight or one I finally crawl in to bed for the night. Lather, rinse, repeat, every day.

Still, even though it’s gotten harder, there are plenty of bright spots to keep me going. The guys that I’ve gotten close to have been relentlessly positive and won’t let me get down on myself or others. The professional staff has far exceeded every expectation I possibly could have had, and the material we’re covering, while rigorous, is fascinating.

I feel like everything I do now is in a rush. When I call my college friends, I always have to preface our conversations with, “Hey, I’ve got three minutes until my next session starts. What’s up?” I type up these blog posts in five minutes before I go to bed. When I go for a run, I sprint out a couple of miles as fast as I can. This is my life now, but I couldn’t be happier. As always, Go Frogs!