how could i forget...

to tell you about my first day of school? It went something like this:

5:00 am: Wake up. Do not go back to sleep, because, even though it's still dark outside, it is in fact time to get up. And will be for the next nine months.

6:30 am: Admire my cute new first-day-of-school outfit one more time before heading out the door.

7:00 am: Arrive at school. Run off copies of my syllabus and organize myself for the day. Run into the bathroom at least 3 times because I'm so nervous.

8:05 am: My first class starts. Marvel at how well my "when the door is shut, so is your mouth" line worked. (James taught me that one.) Realize that I actually have my students attention and they're looking to me for instructions. Stay calm.

8:10 am: Blow up a bottle that shoots yellow foam all over the classroom. Remind myself not to wear my favorite outfits on lab days. Somehow tie the scientific method into this explosion.

8:20 am: Catch a plate on fire. Convince my students that this is exactly what's supposed to happen, because good teaching is really just pretending you're in control and know exactly what's going on.

1:00 pm: Teach my first physics class. Realize that I love freshmen mainly because they're too scared to do anything but listen to me and answer my questions. Assign them homework on the first day, because I know they'll all do it and turn it in on time, and this may be the only time this happens all year.

2:00 pm: Tell Danny that no, I do not actually want to call him Big D. But thanks for the suggestion. I think I'll stick with Danny.

3:15 pm: Officially end my first day as a high school teacher.

3:20 pm: Receive a text message from James wondering how my first day went.

3:21 pm: Begin planning for my second day as a high school teacher.

1:30 am: Go to bed. Start over the next day.