Being overdramatic as usual and reminiscing on past summer courses (Unsplash by Mick Haupt)

I began this blog in 2019… three years ago, in my first year and first semester of my Bachelor of Education degree. Today I sit at a Starbucks in View Royal where I just finished day 12 of full-time TTOC-ing in the Greater Victoria school district (Sd61). Now you may be confused by why a person who just graduated and who has a full-time job is already back at UVIC taking another course… I’ll give you three reasons:

1. $$$ I am working towards my salary upgrade which will require me to have an additional year of coursework up my sleeves

2. Although I am working full time TTOC-ing, and also working part-time as a PARTY LEADER at a kids salon, APPARENTLY I feel still unfulfilled in my extracurriculars so here I am escaping boredom

3. I am in complete denial about the thought of being an “adult” and a “graduate” by taking this summer class it feels as if I am still a UVIC student, and that makes me feel safe and comforted

So here I am, it is the summer of 2022 and I am taking EDCI 335, Learning Design. I should probably get back on track with why I am sitting in Starbucks in the first place writing this blog post…

An introduction to me:

My name is Kirby, I am a recent graduate of the University of Victoria Bachelor of elementary education program, full-time substitute teacher, and part-time student (taking this singular course). A lot of changes have been happing over the past month in my life, I have obviously began legit money-making teaching but another big change has been that this is my first summer I am spending in Victoria (EEEEEKKKK but also WAHHHHH). I am a born and raised island girl from a small town called Black Creek, which is located about 3.5 hours up island. If this had not been such a monumental year in my life (graduating) you would find me working at my past summer job as a kayak instructor, where I would already be tan from working outside all day. HOWEVER, here I am in Victoria, making my own meals, driving my own car, living in an illegal basement suite in a townhouse of 4 other people crying but THRIVING. Honestly that quote pretty much sums up the current situation of my life…

Crying but thriving

Kirby Jarvis 2022

To be completely honest, I am not the kind of person who enjoys big changes, but with everything that is going on, I can say with integrity that the thing that is making me the most upset is missing my cats at home… not too bad for someone who just started a new career. Speaking of my career, it is a dream. I have been struggling with the whole waiting game for years, the jumping through hoops of taking course after course after course. I know I know I know, I needed to learn the practice before I could do the practicing, but when I am in the classroom it has always just made sense to me. I remember at the end of my TTOC interview and my principal asked the final un-graded question along the lines of “is there anything else you would like to say about yourself and you as a teacher that wasn’t listed in the questions” I honest to god straight up said “I just need for them to know how happy I am in the classroom” and so I saw my principal write down “happy” and the next day I got the job. Teaching makes sense to me, working with children is something that I find enjoyable, something that comes easy to me. I know this is the right world for me and I am so excited to see where my career leads me.

I am looking forward to connecting with everyone through our blogging and through our online weekly zoom meetings!

Unsplash by Chris Montgomery