Can I Leave All This Behind?

As I walked around campus on Friday, just doing regular errands here and there during my prep period, and going to-and-fro from the office and my class, and even after school as I greeted other teachers and did more errands, I have never heard so many, “Hi, Ms. G” in my entire day from students. I think it’s because I told my classes that I will be going to Japan in the next semester. One of my students declared her deep appreciation by proclaiming, "I love you," when I walked into her history class.

Maybe not all my students appreciate me as much as that student who declared her love, but I have never felt this much appreciation either—and so openly. I’m taken aback to see how much I’ve affected these students. My greatest fear is that I'm always wondering if I’m doing a good job teaching them, when all that matters to them is, “She’s a cool teacher who listens.”

I’m almost sad to leave. I don’t know if I want this semester to go any faster.