A Few Reasons Why I Love Teaching:

• I get to go to school every day....which is like every nerd's wet dream.
• Other people have to read the same books I like to read, and then I get to make them talk about them with me (never in my wildest dreams did I ever think I would get to do this).
• If I am bored with an activity, I get to change it to a different one.
• My students come up with the coolest nicknames ever, (StephSef--seriously, who else would have thought of that?) even though they can't call me by them. 
• I am complimented on my car's license plate at least once a day (MUGLBRN--so cool, I know).
• I am surrounded by people who appreciate the depth of the Percy Jackson series' greatness and who are willing to rally behind my Camp Half-Blood badge (because I totally have one).
• Pig Latin is no longer a lost language.
• Using even mediocre words (like "mediocre") makes me feel as though I have ascended to Neitzsche's level of eloquence.
• Snack time. Need I say more?
• When one of my previous students says "hi," I feel like I won something. I don't know what I won, but it feels good. 
• I finally have an excuse to go to bed early (so sorry, I have to get up early...I AM a teacher, you know).
• I feel like I'm slowly working my way toward a PhD in Adolescent Psychology. Like, one day I'll just show up and take the test and be like "Ok, give me my doctorate now. I've heard it all."
• Sometimes students ask me for help on their math homework. And I actually know how to do it, because it's 8th grade math. And in that moment, I am a math GENIUS.
• And finally--I just can't imagine another job where I would get to hear conversations like these ones every day. It's just more fun than should be allowed.