Since being accepted to Teach for America, I've had this strange feeling that it was all too good to be true. I mean, things never work out this well. It was the first and only job I applied to. I wasn't ever really convinced I'd be accepted. In fact, for a short time after I was first excepted I was convinced that some kind of mistake had been made. How could I have been selected from the more than 46,000 qualified people who applied? But, if only by the grace of God, I was. To date, I'm still the only one of my friends with a job secured for after graduation (minus one who is also doing TFA).
I think to justify my own trepidations about being accepted, I've recently taken to thinking and saying, "I was accepted into Teach for America, but first I have to pass the Praxis exam". Clearly, this would be the part that completely derailed the too-good-to-be-true series of events I had been experiencing. It seemed like the cards were stocked against me on this test from day one. Case in point:
1. History major, taking the high school English content and teaching styles tests. my mom basically said she thought I was going to fail. Thanks, mom.
2. I haven't taken a real English class since my freshman year of college and even the validity of that class is debatable because the prof was terrible.
3. the test was being given on the Saturday of my spring break. it's pretty hard to study when you're on vacation.
4. there were no testing sites available in DC, meaning I had to drive home to New Jersey to take the test after getting into DC at midnight the night before and was almost crushed by a poorly driven 18-wheeler around exit 12 on the NJ Turnpike
5. on the day of the test, New Jersey experienced what can only be described as a mini-hurricane. it was the snowpocalypse of rain.
So, put together all of these "signs" and I was fairly convinced I was doomed. The perfect plan would fall apart and I'd end up on the unemployment line with all my other friends. But hey, at least I wouldn't be kicked off my parent's insurance. I do have great insurance from my mom being a public school teacher.
Despite all this, I tried to buckle down and study. The content knowledge seemed to be very much like the SAT English, which I did very well on. Sparknotes provided immensely useful information for studying the books needed for pedagogy. And, against all odds, I found the balcony of my hotel room in the French Quarter to be an excellent place to study. Our flight back was delayed by 2 hours but the 18-wheeler didn't crush my car (poor Consuela couldn't have survived). In the end, I took the test and thought it went fairly well. I figured that I would probably fail by a point or two but that, on the second try I'd be able to pick up the needed score.
Well, I was wrong. I got my results today and I PASSED!!!! On my first try. The Praxis is an exam that most people either pass or fail by a margin of one to two points. But me? I passed with 10 points to spare. No biggie. I'm just that awesome. There are no longer any obstacles standing between me and Teach for America (except for a presentation, a book review, 5 major papers and 4 final exams). Then I'm home free. It's on to graduation, three weeks of vacation and off to Institute.
According to my dad, I can now start to think about Vanderbilt Law, which is his new kick. He wants me to go to Vanderbilt and be a lawyer. He's always wanted me to be a lawyer. He says I used to argue my way out of punishments and effectively deflect blame as a small child. I think I just had him wrapped around my finger (and I have the "Pretty, Pretty Princess" pictures to prove it). I've explained many times now that law school isn't something I ever entirely crossed off my list. Its just something I know isn't right for me now. I've always thought I'd end up there eventually. Maybe after Teach for America. I'd say there's a distinct possibility of that happening. Although, I don't know about Vanderbilt. It's one of the most expensive law schools in the country. I could claim North Carolina residency and go to UNC-Chapel Hill Law for a complete, three year total cost of what one year at Vandy would run me. Besides, as my dad pointed out after I told him this, it would give my family a real justifiable reason to hate Duke and he could get a "Carolina Dad" t-shirt, which he would love. But all of that's too far into the future for me to be worrying about now. I should probably focus on those papers and finals and graduation and Teach for America before I start thinking about what I may be doing from 24-27. Thats much too far away.
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