Life has its way of letting us know that the time and energy we put into worth while endeavors (plus one for using a “big word”) don’t go to waste. If you’re big into gardening like I am, you know how much more sweet it is to bite into a big juicy tomato you’ve put the effort into growing (more to come on later how awesome it is to grow my own groceries). At this stage in my life, I have put a lot into many endeavors, and that’s why it feels so good to be so close to reaping what I’ve sewn.
The last four years of my undergrad (two years at the University of Wisconsin-Marathon County, as well as two years here at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point) have had me wearing many hats and filling many roles. For example, last semester here at UWSP had me balancing full-time work, 21 credits, and 70 hours of practicum in a local special education classroom. That schedule doesn’t leave much in the way of free time, but somehow, during all of that my wife Meghan and I still did our best to carve a little bit of fun. While it was a major challenge, I’ve never felt such satisfaction.
This semester is a big change for me, I’m working fewer hours at a position where I’m valued, and I’m gaining valuable work experience in my major, special education. While this year has it’s challenges, a five-credit GDR with mostly freshmen (more on that later), and student teaching in the spring, it’s all going to be more than worth it when I taste the sweetness of a B.S. degree (it’s hard to believe nobody has ever come up with a better title, I mean a B.A. sounds so much more B.A. than a B.S.) that I “grew” myself.