Things The Corona Pandemic Has Taught Me

I got this idea from one of Steph's posts last week & loved it!

I need routine.  Today is the 38th day in a row that I haven't been at work.  The first week was spring break, & initially I thought I'd be returning to work on March 16th, & then again yesterday, & as of now May 4th... although if I'm being honest I know we aren't going back.  Anyway, the first couple of weeks after spring break were rough because the district hadn't set anything up yet as far as expectations for learning while we aren't there.  Therefore I had nothing I HAD to do.  Not having some type of routine was taking a toll on me physically, emotionally, & mentally.

I like the gym.  I never really used to be a gym person.  I was a I can workout at home or go run outside type of person.  But with the exception of my brief 5 months as a Beachbody coach, or the better part of a decade ago when I was into running 5ks, I didn't.  I never stuck to a workout routine or forced myself to go running.  In February Danny & I joined the gym & were going 5 days a week.  I had a workout routine & was getting back into running.  I liked it.  And I miss it.  Now the idea of running outside just doesn't appeal to me... especially with highs in the 70s-80s & humidity at 70% or higher nearly every single day.

Morning coffee is my thing.  Okay this one wasn't a complete lesson.  I've always known I love coffee & I've always known I'm a morning person.  However, the majority of the time it's me pouring coffee in my travel mug & drinking it on the way to work or within my first 1-2 class periods.  But now that I don't have anywhere to be, I realize just how important it is for me to just slowly enjoy a cup of coffee in the morning by myself & preferably outside listening to the birds.

I love my students, & they love me.  I've known pretty much since year one that I will not be a teacher forever.  However, up until this year, and especially my first 3-4 years, I had amazing relationships with my students.  In fact, I still stay in contact with some of those students from my first 4 years of teaching.  It's no surprise that this year has been my worst year & by far my least favorite.  I even went as far as to apply for & interview for non-teaching positions that would have me leaving before the year was up.  I liked some of my students but I didn't feel that same bond as I had in the past.  However, not being able to be with them for now the 5th week in a row that I should have been with them, has me realizing just how much I do miss them.  And getting emails from kids that I wouldn't have necessarily guessed, saying just how much they miss me & being in my class has also made me realize that they love me too.

I like having an option.  I don't go out a lot.  99% of the time we cook at home so we don't really go to restaurants that often & go out to a bar maybe once or twice a month.  In addition to bars & restaurants, I've also cooled it a lot on the coffee shops, concerts, & general exploring.  Now don't get me wrong, if I was still going to work those things probably still wouldn't be happening on the same scale they were when I lived in Dallas-Fort Worth, although I did have plans on picking some of the exploring back up once summer hit.  However, not having the option to do any of those things while I'm at home makes me want to do them 10x more.  I'm a homebody until I have to be.

Nash needs his nails trimmed.  Now that we have a backyard, we never go for walks.  He's constantly playing inside with the other dog or running around the backyard "talking" to his neighbor friends & chasing squirrels.  The lack of pavement & concrete in our lives now has his nails the longest they have ever been.  I also refuse to trim them myself because a)I'm terrified of hurting him & b)he would never sit still for me to do it.  So, until I can take him somewhere to get them done, looks like I'll be forcing him to go on walks with me!