Graduating.

Heading up to New Hampshire early tomorrow for my daughter's graduation from UNH. Cannot believe how fast these four years went. She'll be graduating with honors, with a BA in Psychology with a minor in Education, and she'll be returning in the Fall to complete her Master's in Education and do her student teaching. (Then she'll probably start her teaching career in NH or Massachusetts.) She's talked about one single career goal for her entire life -- to become a teacher. She's a natural and it's so exciting to see her getting close to that goal. A year or so ago she called in a panic --she was hearing about the politics and trashing of teachers by the governor of New Jersey. "Why am I even becoming a teacher, if everybody hates them...I should find something else to do." Of course, on second thought, there is nothing else she has ever wanted to do, so changing really isn't an option. Truly, she doesn't care about the benefits and the contracts and even the evaluations or whatever. She just wants to get in a classroom and start teaching. The fact is, whatever the rules are when she starts, whatever the contributions to health care, etc., that will be her (and other new teachers') "new normal."

Anyway, we're proud that she's graduating with honors. She has said many times that she felt extremely well-prepared for college, when she got there with her Ridgewood education. I hear this from other college students as well, and apparently the high school HSA had some students visit the last HSA meeting to talk about how they transitioned to college. It's good to know.

So I probably won't be posting for a few days, unless I get inspired and also have a little free time in-between various ceremonies and dinners and such. Have a great weekend!