New Experiences

I took my nephew to his first day of high school this past week.  He was so nervous he skipped breakfast and when I asked him about his first day, he told me that he couldn’t find the cafeteria and his little group of friends all went without lunch or water.  The following day when I dropped him off, I told him, “I can’t believe that you and your friends, who are in the smartest classes, couldn’t figure out how lunch works.  Today, jokingly ask the teacher if Freshman are meant to starve and to be so weak by the last period that concentration is impossible from going without lunch. Be the hero for your friends and ask the teacher so that you all get fed.”  That was a good segue into new experiences causing high anxiety.  I shared with him, how every time I start a new class I always feel super nervous, but then after a few days it becomes the new norm and my nerves leave me.  Teachers are as nervous as the students I told him, so just keep that in mind that you are not alone in your uneasiness the first few days of school.  The second day report was a lot better they all ate and he was able to enjoy his classes.

Seeing my nephew so nervous as he started a completely new school – bigger- a whole new world, it comforted me because new experiences are tough!  And I think as we get older we can beat ourselves up for feeling anxious and so out of control with new things.  It’s like just because we aged we now have to be comfortable in all situations without nerves.  This week I started teaching a new class and I was so nervous because it was my first time teaching in a hybrid format.  Normally I have my virtual and in person kids at different appointments, but as our school works at getting all students back in person now direct instruction has to be hybrid with virtual and in person students together at the same time.  All week my anxiety was to through roof because I have to lead and in my mind I was thinking how much the kids would hate it because I hate teaching in this format.  Yet, my nephew taught me that even though I am the teacher I am allowed to make mistakes and be super nervous because I am human.  And it’s perfectly human to feel so utterly out-of-control-nervous when trying new things.

I think as I age, the anxiety will try to get the best of me.  It will try to get me to avoid new experiences, but if I push through those uncomfortable feelings I can grow and learn.  I might even discover new things I enjoy.