Coley's Adventures in Laundry

I thought I'd include this story.

I e-mailed my best friends this story on Friday morning...as in 12:30am. Anywho...here it goes:

This story starts about 2 hours ago and I'm not sure when it is going to end. A smart person would have started laundry earlier. A smarter person would not have watched The Vampire Diaries and Grey's Anatomy, but would have done laundry. Actually...a really smarter person would've taken their laundry somewhere else. Alas...I am not.

I decided at 10:15 to do laundry. When I went in there a weird couple was in there. The man looked high and the woman drunk. This was not going to be a good evening. There were only 2 washers working and my hope was slowly draining. I loaded the washers and decided to wait my 28 minutes in my apartment. I went back in 25 minutes and there was still 14 minutes on the washer...um...what? Then it went on "spin" cycle and it sounded like the lid was going to come off and my clothes were going to fly out.

I THOUGHT I had enough money. I thought...well, after 1.25 for 2 washes...I was down to 3.00. That was enough for 1 dry. Y'all...the last time I did laundry was before Case's wedding...I'm pretty sure they're working on their one month anniversary. So, I put them all in one and decided to go get some money. Well...easier said than freakin' done.

First thought: Go to the Harris Teeter and get money back. Get in my car. Go to the Teeter. The 24 hour Teeter. Get out of my car. They're closed for maintenance. Really. So then I go to the other Teeter. Get out...and haven't even thought about what to freakin' buy. So I get soup. Go check out. Cash back? Yes please. Put in the amnt. Woman says...no cash back after 10. WHAT THE HELL. So then I go to the Cash Points. At this point I've made a HUGE circle. I get out $20. I don't want to put that much in...so I go to Wendy's.

Finally get back to the laundry building. I can't get in. It's locked. I'm just over it. So I see if I can get around the pool to it. I have to walk past crazy lady and man. I still have NO idea what they're doing or why they're there. Get my laundry in the dryer. Separate the 1 big load to two small loads. I haven't gone back to see if I can get in. I'm honestly a little worried. Not sure what will happen from this point on.

I'll keep you posted.

Coley

PS...I'm asking for a washer and dryer for Christmas.

PPS...I think I'm calling in sick tomorrow.

PPPS...I'm sorry if you're still reading this.

College Flashback

It will be 7 years ago this August I entered college. Has it been that long? Really? I honestly try not to think about those first few months of college. I almost hate it when my students ask, "Did you like college?" Of course I eventually LOVED it. I would go back to my junior and senior year in an absolute heartbeat...but...those first couple of years...I wouldn't go back.

Change is a necessary evil or good depending on the circumstance. The change of college was in the evil category. It's strange, my entire senior year I prepared and got ready and was looking forward to that 'great move', but when it happened...it was like someone had punched me in the stomach and said, okay, get up, move on, go to it.

When I'm advising students on room mates and classes and what to do their freshman year, I always try to smile and give them my best advice, but secretly I'm praying that they don't have the year I did.

I can't blame it on UNCG. I can't even blame it all on my room mate (that was never there and eventually moved out). I know there was a lot going on with my family. My cousin was dying, my depression and anxiety were getting worse and worse. I felt like my life was slipping from me...and if you know me, you know I do NOT like feeling out of control. But, the worst thing was that I was simply homesick. I missed my mom with an ache that I can't explain. I'm not a momma's or daddy's girl, per say, but I do love them and I guess that without them there, I didn't know what home was. I didn't know how to create that for myself.

Every night I would call mom and sob, I mean y'all, sobbb. Ugly cry. Oprah is reuniting with a long lost hero cry. I know now that it probably was just as hard on her as it was me. How horrible to feel like you are helpless. She knew she couldn't let me come home, thank goodness she didn't. She did the biggest favor in not.

Eventually, with a lot of prayer, knowing my friends were there, knowing that even though home is and will always be Morganton, I learned that home is where you make it. Home is hearing your best friend's voice on the phone. Hearing a knock on your dorm room door and seeing your friends while they check in on you.

It was hard. Probably the hardest and worst year of my life. I don't like to think of the darkness I was in. I just know I eventually found the light. God has never given me a problem he didn't hold my hand through. The light on the other side is worth the fight. I grew stronger from the experience.

So now, when I advise my seniors, I tell them to have fun, MEET PEOPLE, call home, but don't be afriad to be scared and homesick. Just know it's inevitable, but also don't give up. Getting through college was one of the biggest accomplishments I've ever done. The other side is indeed brighter.

Teaching with Heart

I was able to spend a lot of time in one of my best friends, Casey’s, classroom this past week. It was a really enjoyable experience to spend time in a level of education that prepares my students for what I will eventually teach them. It made me realize what a strong foundation each child receives as they enter the elementary school world. I stayed and watched Case as she met all of her new students. They each shyly walked into their new ‘bigger’ classroom and quietly shook her hand. One could tell that they weren’t quite sure what to make of this new classroom, kind of nervous that they had to leave their kindergarten classrooms. Their moms and dads walked them around, getting to know the classroom, showing their children where everything was. It was really interesting to see. Casey was so wonderful with each of the kids. She extended her hand and shook each child’s tiny hand as they put it into hers. She greeted the parents with ease and no one could tell if she was nervous or not, she held her own! There was one little girl in particular that captivated my attention. She walked around the classroom with comfort, hugged Case as if she already knew she was going to be her favorite teacher, and had a sparkle in her eye that reminded me of my own when I was that age and entering my first grade classroom.

It feels as if I was born into a classroom. My mom has been a teacher for over 30 years, which is a feat that I am unable to comprehend at this point in my career. The halls of Glen Alpine Elementary were my home. I knew every nook and cranny. I was friends with all the secretaries. The principals and guidance counselors always made sure I felt welcome. Education has been a ‘home’ for me. I was that little girl that was in Casey’s classroom. I loved my teachers. I loved school. It was always a place of ease for me.

Teachers, even more than the school, are also some of the most important people that have passed through my life. They have had a crucial role in shaping the person that I am today. I still count several of my past teachers as my confidants, mentors, and role models today. I don’t think a teacher ever realizes the true impact that they have on their student’s life.

Does Mrs. Hairfield know that I still remember her puppy dog curtains and they way that she made me feel better after I got lost on my first day of kindergarten? That she was the one that taught me to love reading and taught me to share with others. Two of the most important things ever.

Does Mrs. Rhodes know that she is one of the reasons I became a teacher? I still remember her signing her letters with x’s and o’s and because of that I have always remembered her kindness? That I still sing “Up on the Housetop” at Christmas time because it reminds me of her?

Does Ms. Boughman know that I still remember writing a creative story and her reading it out loud to the class because she thought it was so good…and I have loved writing ever since?

Does Miss Ennis know that I still consider her one of my life role models? That because she was so kind and let me help her everyday after school, it made me really want to be a teacher myself? That I still remember her reading Dear Mr. Henshaw to us after lunch and helping her decorate for Christmas? That her smile and laugh and sweet nature is why I loved 4th grade?

Does Mrs. Lawson know that she made me realize teachers could teach us new things, but also have a divine sense of humor? That my favorite days in her class were the afternoons we would push all the desks to the side and sit in a big circle and sing silly songs??

Going into high school teachers…these 3 women have shaped me more than I could ever write on pages. And I kid you not…it almost brings tears to my eyes to think of all that they have done to impact my life. They are the reason I teach high school and they are the reason that I know I can care.

Does Mrs. Hasty know that I think of her every time a student comes to me with a problem and I feel I can honestly be there for them? That she taught me teaching is a job that you can really be there for your students and show them that you care. She made me feel so loved and appreciated. I might not remember every Spanish verb, but I remember that she made me laugh and that she made me feel that I was an important person.

Does Mrs. Vaughn realize that I still read the prayer she e-mailed me my first day of teaching? That I still think she is one of the smartest, wisest women I have ever met. That I feel so fortunate my teacher cadet class was taught by one of the best teachers in NC? Her love for her students, her wise words, and her genuine compassion for her career made the biggest impression on me.

And…Mrs. McKinney. My life mentor. The woman that pretty much got me where I am in teaching today. Does she know that I shape my lessons after her? I know I can be funny and serious all in one classroom? That her having us read The Awakening led to my true realization that I was meant to be an English teacher? That she still shapes my life and always will? She will still be the one I call on for advice and help with every possible education crisis in my life.

All these women hold a piece of my heart. All of these teachers shaped me. They helped me to become the teacher that I am when I walk into the classroom. They have helped me to realize that it’s not just about the curriculum. I learned so much from their classes. I learned to read, write, count, add, look, share, be a good person, and appreciate my surroundings. They are some of the best people I know.

Most of these women still teach. I feel a little jealous of their current students. They are some lucky individuals. My hope is that I am an iota of the teacher that they are. I still feel blessed by their role in my life and I hope they know it. Kudos to all of you amazing women…I owe you immensely. And kudos to the other teachers in my life. My best friends that teach. The women I work with at RCHS. I have learned so much from all of you as well. Everyone needs a teacher in their lives. I’m so glad I have so many!

Saying Goodbye to Summertime

Summers seem to go by more quickly each year. Someone once told me that the older you get, the more this happens. Years seem to fly by, days seem to pass quicker and quicker, and before you know it…your life has passed by a little sooner than you anticipated. I believe this more than ever now.

I love summers. I love waking up into my own routine…and that being not having one. For 190 days (workdays included) I am in my professional world. I wake up with the sun, get to school, teach to the best of my ability, grade papers, plan, come home, think about what lessons tomorrow will bring, catch a couple winks, and begin my schedule all over again. Please don’t get me wrong…I enjoy this routine. I am a creature of habit. Not a creature that is consistent…but I like my school schedule. However…I do enjoy a break from the everyday and for 2 months (exactly) I get just that.

This summer has been really nice…really busy…and really fun. I have had my breath taken away in California. Been kissed by the sun at the beach in SC. I have laughed with my best friends. I have taken almost 800 pictures. I have gotten to help one of my best friends with her wedding. I have been able to meet with mentors and talk about life with them. I have gotten to take a break from my regularly scheduled life. And…I have loved it.

Everyone needs this. Everyone needs to be able to take a break from their usual life. I am very blessed that my career allows me to do this. I love my job for what it brings to my life. I love that I get to serve through my career, but I’m not going to lie. The perk of having a summer makes it just a little bit better.

I know that getting back into the routine of waking up is going to be hard. I expect this, but am also ready for it. I’m ready to get back into the grind of the everyday life. I look forward to meeting new students and I hope that the “third year is the charm”! I am anxious to get back into my classroom where learning is (hopefully) exhibited everyday.

This year comes with a lot of goals and hopes. I feel, and have told many people, that this might be a defining year. I will teach the last possible ‘new’ thing in NC. By the end of this school year I will have taught all four high school level courses. English I, II, III, and IV. I welcome the journey I am about to begin. My GOAL is to become a better teacher; my HOPE is that it actually happens.

I will miss the summer though. Who doesn’t? I will miss waking up in Morganton with my parents close by. I will miss the phone call that says, ‘I’m in town, lets meet for lunch!’ There is a bit of dread knowing my alarm clock will be chiming at 6 instead of…not chiming at all! However…it just makes me anticipate the fun that will accompany my next summer.

So…welcome back school life! I’ve missed you…kind of… And summer…thanks for everything :)

July...How I Spent my Summer Vacation Part 3

When I think of July, I of course think of awesome vacations and relaxing and sun, but this July the SUN has been in the forethought of most of my mind. JEEZ, it has been a scorcher! I don't remember it being THIS hot! Maybe it has been and I'm just noticing the burning blaze more this summer...but I digress, onto the last (and only) full month of my summer.

I think a lot of people give teachers grief for complaining about teaching. It always, always comes back to someone in the audience saying, "BUT, youuu have your SUMMER off!!" Oh, I guarantee this person is NOT a teacher because then they would be saying, "Shew, you should get some more days thrown into that vacation!" I'll never forget being at an end of the year meeting and someone saying how teachers need the break because if they didn't, someone (teacher or student) might end up in jail. I say all of this to tell you, dear reader, for you to understand that I fully love, appreciate, and try to not take my precious summer vacay for granted.

July started with me getting back from California. I spent a week back in Greensboro taking care of some appointments and what not. The highlight of that week was finally getting to meet the precious Avery Grace Gladd. My dear friend from work, Heather, had Avery on June 28th while I was in Cali, which is funny because CA is her home state. Needless to say I was very anxious to meet the new precious one. You can see here how absolutely adorable she is :)

Carolyn holding and meeting Avery for the first time :)

Next up in the July chain of events was 4th of July. I've never been a huge LET'S CELEBRATE the FOURTH kind of person, I'm not sure why. I totally love America and am so appreciative to live in such a wonderful country, but I've never had consistent big plans for the fourth. This year I was invited to a cookout at one of my best friend's sister's house. Megan is my friend to, but just for connection sake...there you go. We had a great time! Very 4th. Hot dogs, oreo dessert, Catchphrase, and FIREWORKS! It was a lot of fun!!

Linds celebrating with sparklers

Linds and Megan celebrating and getting

ready for fireworks!

Errands accomplished in Greensboro, it was finally time to head to the mountains! I was able to spend a few days in Morganton, made a visit for some fun wedding stuff in G'ville with Case and enjoyed some time with family and friends.

AND THEN, the highlight of July was the annual beach trip with my sweet best friends. We all traveled down from 4 different directions and met up in the sand! We were fortunate enough to find 5 solid days to spend together, this is a major accomplishment because between the 7 of us it has been a hectic and busy summer! We were all glad to be able to relax and enjoy each other's company. We laid in the sun, cooked, ate a lot, and laughed even more. We were even able to squeeze in a puzzle. We stayed in and cooked mostly, but made it out for our annual dinner to Bonefish. I had the best time, it flew by WAY too quickly. I am already looking forward to it next year :)

Carrie, Case, and Em - the only pic I have from the actual

beach! It was sooo humid my lens fogged up every time
I tried to take a pic!! I like their matching bathing suits!

30943 hours later...the girls accomplished and completed

the annual puzzle. Good job ladies!

Bonefish! Awesome friends, food, drinks, and we

had an amazing waitress to boot!

My sweet girls :)

I absolutely love this pic. Talk about capturing

a moment :D

The rest of July has been a mixture of spending time with family in Morganton, visits to Greenville sprinkled in, and a visit back to Greensboro. I love being able to spend so much time with my friends and family. I love being able to drive to best friend's houses and watching movies and eating dinner. I love being 5 minutes from my Granny's. I'm going to miss these sweet summer days!

California...

Since I couldn't post all the pics I wanted to on the last entry, I decided to put up another entry with some more pics! I hope that everyone has the opportunity to travel and visit California, it is definitely a place worth visiting. I love that everything is chill and relaxed and beautiful.

Above is The Golden Gate Bridge. Majestic

and mighty. It took my breathe away.

This is at the bottom of the "Crooked Street" on

Lombard Street. EVERYWHERE you turn in San Francisco

there is an intense hill. Lombard was no exception! It was

beautiful and quite crooked! There are beautiful houses

and flowers that are gorgeous!

This was the entrance of China Town in San Francisco.

We ate at Kathy's House and had some authentic Chinese food.

It was a really interesting area.

Finally, here are "The Painted Ladies". You might

recognize these from "Full House", they're on the

opening credits. All over San Francisco you will find houses

that look like this. Really unique and interesting houses.

I hope you enjoy the pictures as much as I enjoyed taking them. I can't wait to see what else Cali has to offer :)

California or How I Spent my Summer Part 2

Ah, California. It really deserves its own post because it was that amazing. One of my best friends, Casey, has a fabulous sister that lives in Santa Monica. Donna, Casey's sis, just had a beautiful baby girl! Zoey is one of the sweetest, most precious babies I have ever met. Much of the time spent there was just hanging out, going around Santa Monica, and spending time with Donna and Zoey.

We went to Ikea (and I fell in love), the Santa Monica Fresh Market, which was outside on the Promenade, walked on the Pier, and took lots of pictures. The weekend I was there we all traveled up to San Francisco. Such an awesome, cool, eclectic, interesting city. We took in a lot of the sites. We went to Fisherman's Wharf, Chinatown, the Painted Ladies, Alamo Square, and walked up and down Lombard's "Crooked Street". We saw so much, but the my favorite thing was the Golden Gate Bridge. I've been fortunate enough to see and visit lots of things in my life, but this was one of the 'take your breath away' moments. It is absolutely spectacular. The height, length, color, view, everything left me in a state of awe. It for sure goes on my 'most amazing things I've ever seen'!! I am so grateful to Matt, Donna, and Zoey for letting me visit. I am also thankful for my travel buddy Case, we've been a little bit of everywhere and I can't wait to see where else the years takes us on the map!

Better than try to explain all its awesomeness, I will instead post some pics...

Casey and me at Fisherman's Wharf

PS - June in San Fran = COLD!

The famous pier in Santa Monica

Ferris Wheels, Dippin' Dots, and LOTS of interesting people!

Sweet sisters...Donna and Case hanging out with Zoey

Sweet, sweet Zoey

Case lovesss Zoey and I think the

feeling is mutual :)

June ended with me flying back into North Carolina and staying in Raleigh before making my way back to Greensboro. It was nice to be in the Tarheel state, but I am so glad I was able to visit California again. I hope to visit again soon!

I will follow up this blog with a few more pics!!

How I Spend My Summer Vacation Part 1

As this summer winds down to a sad, but sure end, I thought that I would give an attempt at recapping all of my nomadic journeys and put them into a couple posts. As I have taken quite a few pictures and been quite a few places, I thought the easiest way to do this would be to break it up into months. So...we begin with June. Ahh, June. Such a sweet month. A month where the whole summer is before you, there is no end in sight. Jeez...such naive awesomeness... Let us begin.

June begins with an end...the end of school! I posted towards the end of May, maybe it was beginning of June...not sure, about how bittersweet it was to let go of my seniors graduating. I was also able to go to Northwest Guilford's graduation. These were my FIRST kids! They were the ones that welcomed me into my classroom and truly initiated me as a teacher. So the last picture you will see is of my fabulous OSTE (on-site teacher educator) and one of my favorite students, Allie. I was lucky enough to stay in touch with several of my awesome students and it was a wonderful feeling to see them moving on to the next step in their life. What a bittersweet feeling! The next week my kids at Rockingham County graduated. Here are a few pics of my kiddies!

Sweet Girls above...Bridgett, Amanda, me, and Brooke

These girls were in my 2nd and 4th period senior classes

These are my 'first period' boys

They were in the first class I ever taught at RCHS

Me, Mrs. Julian, and Allie

Mrs. Julian was my rock during student teaching and Allie

is one of my sweet students I've been fortunate enough

to stay in touch with

It really is crazy to think about how attached you get to things with your job. I get attached to students, my classroom, my colleagues, and in a way...the school itself. Even though I needed a break, trusttt me, I also was kind of, just a weeeeee bit sad to leave...this feeling was quickly diminished as soon as I took a left out of the school parking lot. Haha, jk...kind of :)

Right after I finished up with graduation, making and grading exams, finalizing all my students semester grades, getting my classroom clean and hopefully organized for the start of this year, I headed over to Raleigh to visit my dear friend Kelly and her husband (also my dear friend) Matt. They were kind enough to let me visit and then drive me to the airport because I was heading to Cali baby!!

This is where I'll stop with part 1. California deserves its own post and that it will get!! Needless to say, the beginning of June was great and it ended even better :)

Beach Daze

One week from today I will be at my second home...the beach. I know that it isn't that big of a deal to love the beach, I'm one of 30943 people that enjoy their summer vaca's on the sandy coast. However, since the wee age of 3, I have made my annual summer trek to the sandy coast of the Carolina's and have found peace there more than once. There is something about the intoxicating smell of salt mixed with sunscreen that puts my spirit at ease. As soon as my toes hit the sand and the cool waves take me under...I am home.

For more summers than I can count, my family went to the Outer Banks and vacationed. Due to schedules and life and whatnot, we have not been able to go in a few years. I miss it. The EIGHT hour ride in one car was rough...especially when we decided that no Barrier vacation was complete without the furriest Barrier member...Muffy. However, I cherish the memories made from those weeks. My sister and I laying in the sand. My mom cooking for us at night. I miss the Outer Banks. It is my "happy place" when I am sad. It is where my mind always travels when I am having a frustrating day. However, the summers have changed and I have been fortunate enough to trade the Outer Banks for a sweet condo off of Main St. in N. Myrtle Beach with my best friends. The scenery has changed, but the happiness remains...I love spending a week with my closest friends and spending time together.!

The above pic is from last year...my sweet friends ocean side and soaking up the sun :)

So the added bonus is that I get my beach AND my friends. It's like heaven! We have been e-mailing all week and talking about our excitement. We are aware of how rare it is to have such a special group of friends. Our nights don't consist of partying and going crazy at bars/clubs, but rather hanging out, getting to discuss our life problems/joys, wedding chat, putting together puzzles, cooking, snacking, dancing, and more than anything laughing. It does the soul good.

Can't wait to pull up, get the chairs/towel/snacks/sunscreen/music out and head to the sand. I think I hear the water calling my name...

Magic

I have a confession. I am a blog stalker. I admit it. I sit in my living room, computer securely placed on lap, and read, read, read. Clearly my late teens and early twenties have been defined by the new social media networks such as facebook, myspace, and twitter. Blogs have made their way into my life as of this past year. Several people I know started to write in them and I’ve found other people’s to read as well. It is so amazing that people are able to share their lives and stories through statuses, new posts, pictures, and stories. It is fascinating to me that we are so...connected.

I’ve had this blog for almost 2 years. I started it to chronicle my experiences with teaching and really the first year of living on my own. In the beginning I would write every couple weeks or so, but I just kind of…stopped. I would write when the mood would strike me. However, as I’ve been reading all these blogs, I’ve been inspired to try to start writing more. Even if it is a picture and a small paragraph about how I don’t understand why everyone in my family can cook and sometimes boiling water poses a problem in my kitchen.

One of my dear friends is an amazing writer. I’ve told her several times that she should write a blog just to get her words out there. I find it so amazing how words can connect us. All the books I’ve read in my life, they stick with me because of the words that transpired through the pages. Words have healing power. Words have therapeutic power. Words have magic.

As I am a bit of a nomad this summer, I can’t promise to keep up with this, but here is to hoping. Also, here is a small thank you to all the bloggers/writers/authors/magic writers who keep me inspired. Thanks.

Saying Goodbye

2 years of teaching...check.

What does this mean? I've devoted 360 days to students (minus sick/"sick" days). I have taught some 240+ students. I have cried over them. I have laughed with them. I have wanted to pull my hair out over them. And yet...tonight at the senior awards night, all I wanted to do was go hug all of them and thank them for making me who I am. A stronger person. A smarter person. A more compassionate person. They will never realize the impact that they have had on my life. I wonder if I've done the same with theirs.

You might be wondering...jeez Coley, why so emotional with this set of kids? I wondered myself why I got so weepy when I saw them walking down the aisle. Mainly it's because these were the students that were sitting in my desks the first time I walked into my classroom as a 'real' teacher. Though the students I student taught will forever hold a dear place in my heart, these kids were my first REAL students. The ones that I was responsible for by myself. While I was student teaching, I could always tell myself, well, if I mess up too bad, Mrs. Julian (my mentor) can help and swoop in. These students were MINE!

I learned a lot about myself through these kids. I thought I knew what kind of teacher I was going to be, but when I got into that first class so many, many months ago, it wasn't anything like I thought it was going to be. We learned together. I hope that I passed it off as me knowing what I was doing, but honestly, some days it was all trial and error.

When I saw these students walking down, I couldn't help but be taken back to those first few weeks. Everything was new. They were sweet enough to not point out my mistakes (too often). They were kind enough to go along with lesson plans that didn't quite work out. Don't get me wrong, there were also a few of them that made me question my whole teaching career. However, I tried to always look at the students that wanted to learn. That wanted me to teach them. Those were the ones I stayed up late making plans, grading papers, and trying to make class interesting for.

I doubt they'll know they'll know how much they mean to me. How they have helped me to become not only a stronger teacher, but also a stronger person. They'll never know how much they have helped me to grow. They'll never know.

I know what it means to have a high school teacher that sticks with you. Someone that leaves that 'lasting' impression. I was very fortunate in having several. I hope that I have done something in my classroom that has left an impression on them.

And so I say goodbye to the class of 2010. With their graduation, I also congratulate those around me for helping me get through these past 2 years. Had it not been for Angela, Carolyn, and Heather in my dept, I doubt I would've made it. Had it not been for my GG's and their encouraging calls and e-mails, I wouldn't have made it. Had it not been for Kim taking me out for the occasional dinner and chat, I would not have made it. Had it not been for my mom for saying, "teaching is in your blood, you can do this", I wouldn't have made it.

So with this post, I thank all these people. I thank my students that are walking across the stage tomorrow morning. I wish you all the best. I know that you will all do great things. Thank you for teaching the teacher a thing or two...or several hundred :)

Letter to Me

Some of you might be familiar with the song with the same title as this blog post. A few years ago, Brad Paisley released a sweet and reminiscent song about what a person would say to their younger self if they could. After teaching seniors this semester, it got me thinking. What would I say to myself coming into high school? That was TEN years ago! Holy crap! I'm having my seniors do this same assignment. They've made it through 4 years...what would they change if they could talk to their freshman selves? I decided to do the assignment first. Here is what I would say to my 14 year old self:

“Letter to Me”
Coley Barrier – May 27th, 2010

Dear (14 year old) Coley,

I have some years on you. 10 to be exact. I’m shocked at the knowledge that a decade has brought me. You were just coming into the millennium and now we’re ending the first decade of it. I’m also shocked at how little I knew and how much can happen in a matter of 10 years. You will go through a lot of things. Things you love…things you hate…things that make you laugh…things that make you cry. Your journey will have you both meet and lose people. The lessons will sometimes be hard, but know this…they’re always worth learning from.

First – STOP worrying so much! I still worry, but I have it under control…kind of. I wish that I could go back and worry less. You worry about your appearance, about what other people think, what the future is going to bring you. If there’s one thing I’ve learned in life it’s that everything works out in the end, and if it doesn’t…it’s not the end.

Second – don’t be afraid to make friends. You are going to make so many friends in life. There will be a group of girls that bring such happiness to your life, but you can’t be afraid to go out there and make friends. Don’t cling to a couple people, go out there. Have fun, don’t be so afraid.

And there is so much more. I know that life right now is uncertain and scary. Honestly, it kind of stays that way. But the lessons that you learn are worth knowing. Enjoy every minute of high school and college. Learn from your teachers. Take notes, not just on the subject, but when they talk about life. They’re valuable lessons. Ask lots of questions. You’ll miss so much from these places when you leave them. Make memories and hold them close to your heart.

Life is hard, but it’s worth it in the end. It is always worth it. The hard times will make you stronger. The sad times will make you value the happy times. The tears will make you appreciative of the laughs. Cherish memories. Stop worrying. Sit on the beach and breathe in the air. Invest in a good camera. Watch where you’re going…especially in cars. Love your family, especially Megan. She’s your sister and the best link to the craziness that can be your family, plus she’s an awesome person. Go hug Aunt Lynne. Swim at Melissa’s pool and learn all you can from her. Pay attention to the beauty in life. Pay attention to the big and small things, and for heaven’s sake, pay attention in English IV!!

From a wise 24 year old,
Coley