For the last several years I have taught, advised, mentored, recruited, advertised and essentially been the sole program lead of a nationally recognized high school journalism program. That is to say, I've successfully managed one of the most difficult juggling jobs that may exist outside of the medical field.

My constant tasks involved planning interactive and real-world lessons and assignments, grading projects, meeting with student leaders outside of regular class time, developing continued team building, organizing travel for conventions and camps, implementing an overnight staff retreat for yearbook and news magazine students, managing short and long-term projects, editing designs, editing copy, facilitating production for each publication, mentoring fellow teachers and co-workers, organizing larger all-school events, tracking finances, advertising yearbook sales and program highlights on social media, archiving and improving curriculum, driving vans for field trips, speaking at conferences, communicating with parents, communicating with clients and community partners, navigating student press law and prior review, organizing special events and banquets for the program, submitting works to journalism organizations for critiques and....*insert deep breath here*

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I could go on and on. The daily life of teachers is a madhouse, and if you ever thought to yourself "Gosh, having summers off must be so nice," just remember that educators absolutely need  the break to continue doing what they do, and most teachers don't necessarily take all that time to really rest. I am lucky to have experienced the chaos and to have grown and learned so much.

I can count myself among the survivors and thrivers of the madhouse, but as my students might say - "Miss Val, it's time for you to enter a new era" - and I agree.