My Life as a Graduate Student: Home Stretch

I am almost done with my first semester! I can't believe how quickly it went by. I have this week off from classes for Thanksgiving break and the following week is my last. I'll be at the Charter School for an extra 2 weeks to make sure I have enough hours before leaving to come home for Christmas.
This semester is by far my hardest. I am taking 6 classes (it would be 7 if I hadn't come early to take that summer class) and I can definitely feel the burnout happening. Myself, as well as my classmates, have begun checking out already. Thankfully, I only have 2 more papers to write before the end of the semester. As tough as it has been, I think I will be able to pull A's out of every class. This is a very exciting possibility and I know that if I can do this, my next 2 1/2 years here will be a breeze.
The Charter School is still number 1 on my list of things that cause me stress. It is such a crazy environment to be in and I can confidently say I do not want to ever be in a classroom ever again. It takes a special kind of person to do that every day and it's not me. That's not to say my work with the students hasn't been rewarding. I love teaching my Second Step lessons and the two students I currently do individual therapy with are great kids. I have found a lot of great therapy resources and the results have been awesome with the two students I work with. I have really taken to art therapy and I am finding out about so much through that. Also, it's fun and therapeutic for me as well since the students like when I do the same art project. I have built a great rapport with the entire 7th grade class and am trying to incorporate more positive interactions with them. Unfortunately, I'm just not used to the blatant disrespect that occurs between the students and the teachers. If you walk down the middle school hallway at any point in the day you will hear an adult yelling at the students for being so disrespectful. I have been able to help out in science since they tend to be pretty well mannered during that class period (it may be due to the teacher or due to the fact that it is the first class of the day for the 7th graders). Math on the other hand is impossible for me to be in. I am working on my patience level and my supervisor has been a great support for me. Even though I have some successes, I will be happy for the break coming up.

A group of us taking a much needed "selfie" break in our social work office

My social life has been great. My friends are a wonderful support system and provide me with some much needed self-care time. Unfortunately, all of them will be out of town for Thanksgiving so it will just be Mushu and I. I may take advantage of my recent sleeping problems and do some Black Friday shopping. Although, it has quickly dropped to 30 degrees and below so I try to limit my time traveling outdoors. The recent change in weather quickly erased all the beautiful fall colors. Here is one picture I managed to take before the leaves dropped:

As cold as its been, I can't wait to see everything covered in snow. I think I'm only excited since I know I will be leaving for 3 weeks during the winter. I think I can put up with 2 weeks of snow before heading out.
Mushu update: he is getting so big and has finally stopped biting me! After finding a baby tooth in my bed I realized that maybe he was teething. I'm definitely glad that stopped though - even though it was playful biting, it was still annoying. I am so excited to bring him home and introduce him to everyone. He is my little pride and joy and has such a great personality. Here are some pictures: