When you're an education major, the culmination of your college journey (apart from graduation itself) is student teaching. Every class you take, every lesson plan you write, it all leads to the final semester where you get to BE the teacher in a classroom every day for 16 weeks.

I recently finished my semester of student teaching, and it was a crazy experience. I had 62 fourth grade students split between myself and two other student teachers. Together, we taught, challenged, and cared for our students. Even though there were times when it felt like the end would never come, I look back and am astounded at how fast it all went.

Now, as I process my time as a student teacher, I am filled with different emotions. I am so thankful to have met the people I did. I am so proud of the growth my students made since January. Most of all, I am sad that such a huge milestone in my life has come and gone.

I don't want to make it seem like my experience was all butterflies and rainbows, because it wasn't. I had moments where I didn't know how to handle the behaviors of the classroom. I had moments where I felt like I was a terrible teacher. But through it all, I've learned that it's okay to make mistakes. It's okay when things don't go as you planned.

One thing I didn't expect was how much I'd miss being in the classroom. I'm trying to find every excuse to go back and visit! The thing about teaching is that you have to make space in your heart for all of your students. When you spend 16 weeks with a group of kids, they become attached to you just as much as you become attached to them. Saying goodbye is extremely difficult. The final few days were filled with tears and laughs, as we tried to squeeze in as many memories as we could.

Saying goodbye to my student teaching means a lot of things. Not only does it mean I have to leave my first real class behind, but it also means I have to come to terms with the fact that I am finished with my college journey. Things won't ever be the same as they have been during these past four years.

But that's okay.

I'm heading toward an exciting time in my life where I get to do what I'm passionate about and make a difference in the lives of students. Although I am leaving behind a wonderful group of kids, I am so grateful for all I have learned through my student teaching. As I go into my future classroom, I am confident in my ability to teach and my ability to impact my students.

As tough as it is to say goodbye to such a great time in my life, I am ready for what lies ahead.