About four years ago I began my journey at Appalachian State University with ambitions to major in communications and eventually work for corporate America. I was chasing a paycheck and professionalism, for I felt that was the key to making those closest to me proud. This was certainly not the case because my friends and family have always pushed me to follow my dreams. After my first semester, I found myself to be uncomfortable with the path I was taking and was unsure of my next step. I packed my car and descended the mountain to spend winter break with my family. I reflected on my youth and passions that I felt could help determine the move I needed to make. I remembered the countless hours of playing school with my grandparents on the weekends, tutoring peers throughout middle and high school, and was reminded of the experiences in school, both good and bad, that sparked my passion to make a change in the world of education. I went back to Boone after break, attended my first day of classes, and requested to switch my major to middle grades education five minutes after attending my first class. 

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My journey at Appalachian has had its ups and downs, but the growth I have seen within myself during my time as an undergraduate student never ceases to amaze me. The first lesson I have learned is to follow your dreams. I believe that happiness is a side effect of following your dreams. People often complain about the course load that comes with college, yet I found myself to enjoy my projects and time spent in the classroom with my peers. While it was not always a walk in the park when it came to assignments or presentations, I find that these opportunities pushed for me to be the best version of myself and to take pride in my accomplishments. If I were to be in a major where my true dreams weren't being followed, I am confident that I would not be as proud of my achievements as I am today. 

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The second lesson is that you will learn most from your experiences and gaining insight from other's experiences. As a middle grades education major, I have had field experiences/internships in various settings, have worked in sixth, seventh, and eighth grade classrooms in three different schools, have worked in social studies, English language arts, and special education classrooms, and have had one of my field experiences at a summer camp provided through the Reich College of Education. These experiences have prepared me for various situations I may experience in my future career and has reinforced the idea that adaptability is key. In addition to learning from my experiences, I have learned so much from the experiences of my professors. The staff through the middle grades program are the most resourceful and caring group of people I have ever interacted with on a professional level. They were always transparent with their stories and what we may experience when we have our own classrooms. Their honestly and personal connections throughout the last two-three years has prepared me to become the educator I challenge and aspire myself to be today. 

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My time at Appalachian has proved to me that John Green was correct when he wrote that, "some infinities are bigger than other infinities." In his book, The Fault in our Stars," the character Hazel Grace states, "there are infinite numbers between 0 and 1. There's .1 and .12 and .112 and an infinite collection of others. Of course, there is a bigger infinite set of numbers between 0 and 2, or between 0 and a million. Some infinities are bigger than other infinities." While this statement has hence been described as mathematically inaccurate (I'm not a math person, so the literary effect is still there for me), the quotes sits with me as I reflect upon my time at Appalachian. Whether that be making new friends as I walk into my first education focused course or talking to my middle grades cohort about our funniest student teaching moments, my memories are unforgettable. In four years, I have had an infinite amount of moments that will last a lifetime. Because of my push to follow my dreams and the support from those around me, I am extremely eager to continue my journey as Miss. Harris, middle grades educator. 

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To Appalachian State, the Reich College of Education, my peers, advisors, and professors, thank you for our little infinity. 

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