Slice of Life Challenge #21 Day 24: FaceTime Chats

For the month of March, each day I am writing and posting a slice of my life, hosted by Two Writing Teachers. 

Slice of Life Challenge #21 Day 24: FaceTime Chats

"FaceTime soon?" Steve texts me.

"Yes please," I reply.

"Ready now?" 

"Yup." I find myself giddy waiting for his call. 

I hear the familiar FaceTime ringtone and accept his call.

This is a nightly ritual for my boyfriend and me, unless we are physically with each other.

We began dating towards the beginning of the pandemic. For the first two months of our relationship, we didn't see each other in person. Since we live in different towns and have a bit of distance between us, we tried to stay connected in whatever way we could. We tried phone calls, but my reception was awful. We tried Google Hangout, a little bit of WhatsApp, and landed on using FaceTime. 

Over our daily FaceTime chat, we talk about our day, tell each other stories, and can even show each other what is happening at our respective homes. I like that I can see his facial expressions and hear the inflections in his voice. At times, when one of us is tired or has something going on, our chat is brief - sometimes only ten minutes. However, we can easily FaceTime for an hour or more. These moments make me feel like a swooning teen. 

Throughout the year, there have been many examples when I had a rough day with school or other events. Connecting with Steve on Facetime almost always brightens my mood. Steve continuously makes me laugh and smile. I can be silly with him, yet we can share incredibly serious things. I feel listened to, respected, and loved. It's reassuring when I can hear his voice and see his face. He's usually the last person I see or talk with before I fall asleep.  

In the past year, he has become my best friend. I believe that our video chats brought us closer together and helped us stay connected. I couldn't be more grateful.  

What technology tools have you used to stay in touch with loved ones during the pandemic? 

Slice of Life Challenge #21 Day 23: Eye Candy

 For the month of March, each day I am writing and posting a slice of my life, hosted by Two Writing Teachers. 

Slice of Life Challenge #21 Day 23: Eye Candy

The past weekend I went hiking at Cherney Maribol Caves County Park. Although this was not my first time visiting this park, I was in awe of its beauty, especially in the how the trees and crag intertwine.  

Tree roots travel down/

Niagra dolomite - cliff/

line beauty wonder.

What natural beauty have you noticed lately? 

Slice of Life Challenge #21 Day 22: Muddy Shoes

For the month of March, each day I am writing and posting a slice of my life, hosted by Two Writing Teachers. 

Slice of Life Challenge #21 Day 22:

Muddy Shoes

Muddy shoes: sure sign of spring. 

Slice of Life Challenge #21 Day 21: Depending On When You Met Me

For the month of March, each day I am writing and posting a slice of my life, hosted by Two Writing Teachers. 

Slice of Life Challenge #21 Day 21:

Depending on When You Met Me   

As usual, I am almost always late to the party. Thank you to Leigh Anne for this invitation. I have enjoyed reading other bloggers respond to Leigh Anne's invitation. 

Depending on When You Met Me by Trina

Depending on when you met me, I might have been: a kid who played tag in the church sanctuary while her father prepared Sunday sermons, a piano player who had to be nagged to practice, a Girl Scout, a little sister who read her big sister's diary, a tenth grader who got to collect holy water from the Jordan River, a babysitter, a flutist, the girl who sold tresses of her blonde hair to a market vendor in Bolivia, the kid who got emergency surgery on her wisdom teeth two days before a trip to Germany, the girl who moved and switched high schools the summer before her senior year of high school, a hostess and waitress, a church camp counselor, a book seller, an university Information Technology Student Worker, a graduate of a English Education, a chaperone of high school students to the British Isles and later Australia, a teacher of middle school students, a graduate student who had to put her degree on hold when her baby boy was born premature, a sleep-deprived full-time working momma of two, a baker, a ukulele player, a secondary district literacy coach, a high school English and Alternative Education teacher, a mentor, a divorcee, a cat owner, a plant enthusiast, a woman who is learning how to sew again, a girlfriend, and a voracious reader and writer.  

Slice of Life Challenge #21 Day 20: How Have you Grown?

For the month of March, each day I am writing and posting a slice of my life, hosted by Two Writing Teachers. 

Slice of Life Challenge #21 Day 20:

How Have You Grown?   

In an effort to connect with my students in a postive way, I continue to begin my senior level classes with community building questions. At the beginning of March I wrote in this post about a different question I asked my high school seniors. 

This past Thursday and Friday I posed this question to my students, "What's one way you have changed since you were a freshman?" 

I expected most of my student responses to be light-hearted. Of course a few of them were oozing with sarcasm, like when *Mavis said, her eyes sparkling with smiles behind her mask, "I hate school even more." *Aaron shared, "I have bigger clothes." Eric's response made me chuckle: "I don't think that seniors are so big and scary anymore. " *Lizzie's made me smile when she said, "I sleep less." She followed this with a huge yawn and showed us her huge energy drink. 

However, for the most part, my students shared meaningful insights with each other. Here are a few that stuck out to me:

• "I am less immature."
• "I am more independent and have more confidence."
• "My point of view on topics has really changed. I don't think the same when I was a freshman."
• "My goals are really different now. I thought that I might be applying for college, but I am more focused on working so I can earn enough to live on my own."
  
• "I don't let people walk all over me anymore."
• "I have taken more control over the decisions in my life." 
• "I'm more responsible."
• "I procrastinate less."
• "I'm better at time management now."
  
• "I worry less about how I think that people see me."
• "I am more outgoing."
• "I am less anxious."
• "My mental health is a lot better."

There was one student in particular whose answer stunned me:

 "I am in better control of my emotions. I used to get angry and just leave the classroom in a huff. I hid in bathrooms. Now I know to breathe and calm myself down. I can get upset about something but know that I can still be okay." 

Wow. As soon as she said this comment, it was quiet. No one said or typed anything on line. For those learning in person, a few heads nodded. 

"Thank you for sharing that brave insight, *Rachel," I said. 

At seventeen, I don't think that I would have been able to share something so astute with a group of my peers. 

As with all of our community building questions, some responses are typed in the chat on the Google Meet. Some students share their thoughts verbally on the Google Meet. My masked, in-person learners usually shout out their responses. 

Somehow we are creating classroom community, even though this year has felt so fragmented. To me, this conversation is another reminder that many of my students are still growing and thriving, despite all of the challenges they have faced in the last year.

*a pseudonym

Slice of Life Challenge #21 Day 19: Last Minute Request

 For the month of March, each day I am writing and posting a slice of my life, hosted by Two Writing Teachers. 

Slice of Life Challenge #21 Day 19:

Last Minute Request 

"Would you be willing to write me a recommendation letter? It's for a scholarship." Her email inquires. 

"Of course! What would you like me to highlight? When is it due?" I respond.

"It's due tomorrow. I am really sorry. I didn't realize this until today."

"I'll do my best," I reply, wondering how I will find the time to write a letter today. 

She's a hard-working, bright student I adore. She's had more challenges before turning eighteen than most people should have in a lifetime. She needs this scholarship to attend post-secondary school. She needs all the help she can get. I needed to figure out how to write it in time for her. It was a request I could not turn down.

In between Parent Teacher Conference Google Meets last night, I pounded out her recommendation letter.  

Recommendation/

letter request. I accept./

"It's due tomorrow." 

Slice of Life Challenge #21 Day 18: Weekly Routine

 For the month of March, each day I am writing and posting a slice of my life, hosted by Two Writing Teachers. 

Slice of Life Challenge #21 Day 18:

Weekly Routine

I make my way down to our high school gym, where district staff members have the weekly opportunity to take an asymptomatic COVID test. 

As I reach the entrance of the gym, Tom says hello, grins, and sprints ahead of me. 

"I beat you!" He says, and I giggle.  I love the spontaneity of his run. We enter the double doors of the Large Gym, careful to provide ample space between each other.

My playful mood instantly shifts. Health care workers are dressed in Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), including protective clothing, face masks, and gloves. Everyone is now somber and serious.

I stand in line while I wait my turn. My weight shifts back and forth a bit. I check my face mask and make sure that it is appropriately covering my nose and mouth. 

"Have you done this before?"

I nod and hand my COVID Testing Program paper voucher to the health care provider. He hands me a small, sealed baggie containing a plastic test tube and paperwork. I hold my baggie and wait for the next step.

"Please state your name and date of birth," A different health worker requests. I share my information. She takes the bag from my hand and hands me a long swab for my nose.

I am already swabbing each side of my nostril before she can give me the standard instructions. My swab is placed back into the test tube. 

"You should receive results back through an email link in two to four days."

"Thank you," I respond, leave the gym, and return back to my classroom. 

Our district began providing optional and free asymptomatic COVID tests at our building a few months ago. I have been taking advantange of this optional convience (and peace of mind) each week. The first time I got an asymptomatic COVID test, I was so nervous. What if the swab hurts? What if I test positive? Will I be standing in line for a long time?

Taking a COVID test is no longer a worry for me. It is a quick test to take. It doesn't hurt. I know that if I test positive, I will take care of myself and do what I can to protect others. 

I never imagined that taking a weekly medical test would be a part of my weekly routine at school. 

What is a routine that you didn't expect that you would get used to this school year?