In kindergarten, when we were asked what we wanted to be, my answer would always be either a princess or a teacher. As I grew up, somewhere along the way I obviously knew I would never be a princess; I lost the desire to be a teacher. It did not seem like something I would do well in and it did not seem rewarding. I decided that if everything worked out, my dream was to be an actress, which is highly unattainable; if that ended up not happening I had no idea what to do with my life. Granted, I really did not need to know in middle school or in the first part of high school. However, I always like to have my life a little bit planned out in my head. Throughout the years that I had my mind set on NOT being a teacher. Although, little signs would pop up that maybe I should be one. Whenever we would take career tests at school, or I would take quizzes, and someone would tell me what they could see me being, they would all say a teacher. At the time this frustrated me because I made my mind up to never be one. Things started to change around the end of sophomore year.

When I went to high school, I for some reason chose drama class over choir class. I had never taken a drama class before; I wanted to try it out for something new, and because I liked watching my brother act in plays and improv skits. I wanted to try it out and see if it could be my thing. It was my first class at my new school. Little did I know that my teacher was going to be experiencing her first day at this school too. I instantly thought she was fun and I thoroughly enjoyed her class freshman year. I ended up staying close to her the next year.

My sophomore year, I started to be iffy about if I really did not want to be a teacher. I started to think about teaching again. I had my favorite teacher again the next year, but this time for English! She was so enthusiastic about a subject that I adored, and she brought her enthusiasm to class every day! What I loved most about her was that she never failed to show she cared about her students. She ended up being my mentor, teacher, and as I started to call her, my bestie. I could go to her between every class and after school to rant or just get some amazing pep talks. She never failed to comfort me but also give me a sometimes brutally honest opinion. Which is just what I needed. Most of all she showed me the rewarding parts of being a teacher.

To my teacher/bestie, you will never know just how appreciative I am of everything you did for me in high school. I do not think I would have made it through if you were not my teacher. You helped me with things as minuscule as proofreading some terrible papers, to being the room I could run to when things just were not going well for me. I learned what a teacher should be through watching you. You are an amazing example of a great teacher, an excellent mentor, and a Godly woman. Thank you for everything you have done for me, and for still being my friend even while I am in college. I am so grateful that I decided to take drama instead of choir freshman year.