Since I've Grown Up...

Well, I guess being home makes it so that I'm not very good at updating my blog... so, I believe now is the time. I was just catching up on a recent LOST episode with my mom (she is the only one that will watch LOST with me) and then Kindra and Charlie came over, so while Charlie is occupied with his Mimi (my mom) and Kindra eats lunch I figure, why not do a little update?

I had to say goodbye to my students. It was so sad. They were amazing and I miss them so much. I seriously think about them everyday and I can't wait to go see them in a couple weeks :)

This was my Honors class... I have a picture with every class period (all 7 of them) but I figured I only needed to put one on here. Can you spot me in the middle of all these junior high kids? I look like one of them!


This is me and my amazing cooperating teacher Anne Black! I love her! We were a perfect match!


Well, I graduated, who ever thought the day would come. My family came up and it was awesome. Commencement was amazing and convocation was great too. I definitely shed tears. I never realized how much I would miss BYU-Idaho. It is such an amazing place and I have grown the most in my life while attending that school. I miss the spirit there, the people there, and even all my classes. Haha. Anyone that is even considering going to BYU-Idaho should go! It's amazing! I can't wait for my little brother to start there in the fall. Here are a couple pics from that fantastic day!

Just a few odds and ends that have happened so far. My friend Diannah got married in the Sacramento Temple! It was amazing and fun to be part of her wedding. Brian went to his senior prom and of course looked as handsome as can be. And my parents sold their house after being on the market for one week. A big blessing but we have to be out by June 25th :( I am about to start EFY in a couple weeks and I can't wait! Here are a few pictures!


Diannah and Cody walking out of the temple!


The bridesmaids and flower girl!


Brian on his way to prom. Sooo GQ

So we had this hillbilly night for student ward and they taught us a interesting dance. Andrew and I were having a good time. Haha

Some more hillbillies having a good time!

The Eve of My 23rd Birthday... A Life Update

I don't even know how many people read this blog so I always feel a little dumb writing on it because I'm guessing most people that read it are people who I talk to on a daily basis. I figured I would write out the plans for my life on here anyway since it's a very common question. Well, more like the lack of plans for my life. Ha ha.

I graduate from Brigham Young University- Idaho in about one week, April 10th. I am graduating in Social Studies Education and hope to be a high school teacher. I've spent the last three months doing my student teaching in Utah teaching Geography to 9th graders. It was a great day when I confirmed in my mind that I actually picked the right career because I LOVE teaching. I love the age group and I learn things from them every day. I was put with a great cooperating teacher and had the time of my life. I have been living in Draper Utah and really enjoyed it. I didn't have much of a social life but I was able to enjoy the blessings of living in Utah by being involved in the opening of the Draper Temple. I got to go through the open house, be an usher in the celestial room, and be in the temple for the one of the dedicatory sessions. It has been awesome. I have loved my roommates and will miss living with them.

As for plans after graduation, that is still up in the air. Finding a job seems to be a lot more difficult than I had imagined for two reasons. A: In the economy today it is difficult for ANYONE to find a job and it has taken it's toll on the education world. B: It just so happens that my love and interest (aka my major) is probably the least needed major for education, second only to PE. So math, science and Spanish teachers are getting 10,000 bonuses for signing on with any school of their choice, I'm getting blank looks from employers who tell me to apply online and check for openings. Great. For immediate plans, I'm heading back to Chico to hang out for one last summer in my favorite place. I'll also be an EFY counselor for two weeks in Provo which I am really excited about. I have a fun Disneyland trip planned and about a million weddings to go to....

And on the subject of weddings. So far this summer I am a bridesmaid in three different weddings, which is a small amount compared to the actual count of friends that are getting married. It seems to be a pattern in the last three months for everyone to be getting engaged. I would be lying if I said I didn't feel like I was missing the whole "time to be getting married" bandwagon. Don't get me wrong, I'm all about getting married at the right time to the right person. It's just that everyone is finding that person before me. My life seems to be a little bit consumed in everyone else's weddings. In fact, the present for the one accomplishment that I have to brag about right now (graduation) has to be spent on a bridesmaid dress. Awesome. Now, I realize that I sound rather bitter, ha ha. Don't get me wrong, I could not be happier for every person in my life that is getting married. I think it is so exciting and cool that they are all getting married for time and all eternity. That is so amazing and I am honored that I get to be part of it. But I'm using my blog to throw myself a little pity party. Ha ha. It will happen one day and it will be the right person but our lives as young single adults are consumed with marriage. We get bombarded with questions like, Why aren't you married? What's wrong with you? Are you dating anyone? Are there any men in your life? etc. etc. etc. (and this isn't just me talking all of my roommates confirm that this is how it is... every time we go home) Every lesson is about finding that right person or trying to make you feel better about not being married so no matter what, it's on our minds. Again, this makes me sounds so bitter but sometimes I just want to be part of the married club. I'm 23 (well tomorrow I am) not old at all. In fact there are many great advantages to being a college graduate and not being married. A: I'll actually have a savings when I get married and can pay for my wedding and go on a sweet honeymoon. B: If my husband is still in school I can support us so we won't have to go into debt C: Nothing is tying me down at all. I'm free to do whatever I want... travel, be spontaneous, go on shopping sprees... it's all fair game. D: I'll be the most favorite aunt in the world because I don't have my own kids to spoil... so really, the list goes on and on. Bottom line: A little annoying my life is consumed in everyone else's wedding but I'm young and I'll live through it and one day when I find that right guy it will be fantastic. OK, enough about marriage.. moving on

I can't think of much else to update on. My family is moving to Texas in August. I'm sad about that but it's the right thing. Brian is going to BYU-Idaho and I am so excited he is doing that! I can't wait for him to fall in love with that school. CJ will be starting high school which is totally crazy. Maybe I'll be able to find a job at his high school so I can be around him. Other than all that, I'm happy. My life is totally up in the air so I'm just riding on faith that Heavenly Father will direct me to the right place, wherever it is I need to be.

I heart my students

The other day I was talking to my mom about my students and how much I love them. I have picked out some of my favorites and it's been hard not to get attached to them. There is a group of them that are all best friends and have all been playing soccer together since they were in elementary school. It came time for them to try out for the high school team and all of them made it but two, some of my favorite two. I found as I was driving home from school I started crying thinking about how sad it was that they didn't make it. I have become pretty attached to a lot of these students and I find that when they are sad, I'm sad. I want them to succeed and be the best they can. I can see the potential in all of them. I love that I can become close to my students but it makes me sad to think that I'll leave and probably never see them again :(

The Bobcat Den

Well, here is just a little update on my life as a teacher. I love being teacher and I know without a doubt that I picked the right profession. Everyday has it's ups and downs. It is so easy to pick favorites and to pick on the students you just can't stand. I have found that if it wasn't for those students who actually do their work and joke around with me I wouldn't make it through the day. I have actually picked my favorite periods of the day which are 3rd and 5th period. Surprisingly my honors class drives me crazy! They never stop talking... EVER! My 7th period is the hardest because I have three students that cause the whole class to be disrupted. They get suspended all the time. But for the most part my students are awesome. They say the funniest things to me that make me laugh. I find I make fun of them a lot and they think that is pretty funny. I do act like a crazy when I am in front of them but it gives a little flavor to the class. I just want to put some things on here that my students have said to me that make me laugh.

"Ms. Pasiguini- oh I mean, wait, how do you say your name?"

"Mrs. P- your name is g" (Yes, I'm so glad the gangsters think I'm "g")

"Mrs. Passantino, are you going to the dance?"
"I don't think so Daniel"
"Oh, I was gonna ask you to go with me"

(We were having a discussion about Angle Falls, the highest waterfall in the world and all these what-ifs came up. PS: Angle Falls is two times higher than the empire state building)
- What if you fell off?
- Well what if you just went down with the water, would you die then?
- What if you were in a big cement box and fell off?
- What if you were in this container thing that was really pointy at the end, would you die then?
- What if you were in a big hamster ball thing?

"Ms. Passantino, do you think that if you had a jet ski you could ride from Cuba to Florida?"

(While talking about the Cuban Missile Crisis) "I don't understand why we didn't just bomb them, I mean, we could just bomb the whole world and then we wouldn't have to go to war with anyone"

"Ms. Pistachio, Me and T.C, we're your favorite huh?" (these two remind me of my brother and his best friend)
(I over heard my student ask my teacher this) "Can students date student teachers?"

"Ms. P, you should date my brother, you guys listen to the same music!"
"Oh yeah? How old is your brother"
"He's 17, he's a senior!"
(Not sure that is legal ... haha)

(There are a lot of gangsters in my school and one of them is so kind this is what he said to me in my first week)
"Ms. Passantino, I'm ( he introduces himself) and I just want you to know that you have beautiful eyes"

"Ms. Passantino, will you be my valentine?"

"So, we were hoping you could go get a job over at Taylorsville High School so that we could have you as a teacher again and see you everyday!" (once again, my two favorite students)

"We just want you to know that you are the coolest student teacher, all the rest are weird and mean!"

I love my students, I'm having so much fun! Now if only papers and tests would grade themselves!!!!!

Teaching: I'm a big kid now!

Wow, I can not believe that I am actually student teaching! It is almost like a surreal experience because it just doesn't seem like I am old enough to be a teacher. Sometimes I find myself joking around with my students and then remembering that I am the teacher, the authority figure, and I need to act that way... ha ha, I still just feel like a big kid.

The students overall are pretty awesome. I am amazed with the things that these students have to go through. The last couple weeks my cooperating teacher, Mrs. Black, has told me the different stories these students have and I am amazed at what they deal with in everyday life. It has made me so grateful for my upbringing and it makes me want to help these kids as much as I can. I've been able to try to form some sort of relationships with some of them and I think I am doing OK so far but I need to do better.

I was surprised at the amount of gang activity that is in my school. I teach at Benion Junior High which is actually a nicer school than the ones my roommates are teaching at. On Wednesday there was a shooting at Kearns High School just a couple miles down the road. It was gang related and the student that got shot died. You would think being in Utah this wouldn't be a prevalent but it is and it is an eye opener for me. A lot of my students are in gangs and don't care much about school, I'm gonna try as hard as I can to get through to them.

I've also noticed how important it is to use the spirit as I deal with these students. It's not like I tell them about it but the spirit really does help in knowing what a student needs. It's just more motivation to be close to the spirit in everything I do.

I start officially taking over the class next week and can't wait. I'll be starting the Latin America unit! 9th graders sure are interesting!

Friends

I love my friends. Because of these people my last semester at BYU-Idaho was amazing. I spent almost every day with them this fall. It is hard for me to think about what it will be like to not walk across the street to Alpine (the boys apt) and just hang out or have Alaina and Nadya hanging out in my room till I finally kicked them out. In college it's hard to make good friends and stick with them throughout the years because everyone moves around so much. I've been lucky, I've been able to keep some of my friends for a long time. It makes it hard for me to say goodbye. I even cried when I had to say goodbye to them. I know I'll see them again but nothing will really ever be like it was before. I'll never forget the amazing times we've all had together. This new step in life is going to be hard for me: reason #1- I won't be around these people anymore. They made me better.

Disney Love!

So, my amazing roommates took me to disneyland for thanksgiving break! It was one of the best vacations I've been on. I had so much fun! We drove what felt like a million hours but we played hard and went on every ride a whole bunch of times. I forgot the joy that disneyland brings, it made me feel like I was a little kid again! It was amazing. We took a total of 275 pictures and there are so many I want to put on here but I'll just put my favorites. I changed my music playlist to my favorite music/rides in disneyland!

We also went to the Newport Beach Temple and to the actual beach. Our roommate Ashley had never seen the ocean so it was so fun to be there with her!

Mary Poppins is my favorite Disney Movie and I just love Bert. I was very excited that I got to see them!

Tower of Terror is one of my new favorite rides! It was awesome!