Today I went into the Wolf Shop here on campus...it is the Associated Students of University of Nevada (ASUN) bookstore/gift shop. It is a two-story facility filled with all that is blue and silver and Clinique makeup counter (which is exactly where I headed first). One of managers there greeted me with her fabulous Brazilian accent, and sincere questions as to my well-being. I seriously needed some makeup as I was scraping the bottom of the pan this morning. My Brazilian friend was accompanied by a young, beautiful young woman (obviously working there as a student). She helped me with my choices, and then asked if I was "faculty". For one thousandth of a second I was stunned and then I laughed (uncomfortably) and said "No, I am a student".
Right after I answered her I thought of many other responses that would have gotten a better laugh from her, but she was sweet and asked what I was majoring in. God love her.
I told her I was a Geology major. She then asked me what I planned to do with my degree. I looked at her and asked her if she had dark brown mascara. She laughed and said yeah we have that. I needed a "Twix" moment to think of my response to her question. After getting my mascara, she returned and I told that my plans were to work in mining for a while, as I obtain my Masters. After that I wanted to teach.
WHAT!
Did that just come out of my mouth????
I further added "I want to teach high school or possibly a community college".
WHAT???
Did I just say that?
I did just say that. I really did not understand where that answer came from. Seriously, I have had a few friends tell me they think I should seriously consider teaching, but I though I would end up choke-holding a student and my career would end faster than it began. But is teaching so bad? I not only appreciate my current and past teachers, but admire them for their skills and inspiration.
Many teachers have been inspirational to me, and being amongst their community would be nothing short of a honor. I seriously don't know where I am going from here. I know that Geology is IT for me. I love so many aspects of Geology, which is another night's tale. I would love knowing I inspired someone young. I wrote a few nights back about my lost notebook. What I didn't include in that story was that when I went to pick it up, the teacher who found it stated it was in the hands of one of his students who was interested in Earth Sciences.
Was that a sign? Who knows, but it did affect me positively, and knowing that I touched one child was a wonderful feeling. Just ONE can make such a wonderful difference in our world.
I and my best friend were also older geology students; in our cases, we had BS degrees in unrelated fields, had drifted out of our first careers, and wanted to study geology. We had one heck of a good time, first getting caught up on upper division undergrad courses and then taking the graduate courses; after that, we anguished through our respective theses. She graduated in 2010 and I in 2011; she teaches as an adjunct professor at our school, while I unfortunately have some disabling health issues that keep me out of the workforce. Looking back, would either of us have chosen to keep our old careers? Never!
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