I’m not going to lie, coming up with a topic for this post is going to be a struggle. So, like most college students at one time or another, I’m just going to wing it. I’ve been thinking a lot about life lately; being back on campus after a semester abroad feels like freshman year all over again. My last semester on campus – Fall 2016 – I went through a really rough time, and it made me turn my life upside down. I went from an Accounting and Spanish double major to a Spanish Secondary Ed major with minors in TESOL and Business. It’s a big switch, but honestly, I don’t think I could be any happier with my decision.

The jump from the very formal business environment to a more informal setting in the education department is something that I used to think would be absolutely terrifying – new people, new professors, and entirely different assignments. Now, I look forward to my daily 8:00am’s and all of the different opportunities to get involved in the department. That’s one of the many things I love about this school. Students are never discouraged from going after their dreams, and no one is going to make them feel bad if they change their mind about their major. As Pres Dave said at Opening Convocation this past August, “Manchester is a place where students are encouraged to be their best selves.” I couldn’t agree more, sir.

Ever since I joined the Education Department, I’ve been trying to participate as much as possible. A couple of weeks ago, a group of us went down to Noblesville and volunteered at the Indiana State Reading Conference. We got to meet different presenters, as well as sit on a few lectures. My degree may not be in reading or English, but I have some ideas on how I could implement some of the strategies I learned at the conference in my Spanish classes one day. Our pre-professional club – Student Education Association (SEA) – also sponsors a lot of fun events, like organizing events for consumers at the local ARC Center, doing volunteer work within the Manchester Community, and attending fall conference in Noblesville. No matter what part of the educational process you want to work in, SEA has something for everyone.

As much as I love the Education Department, it’s not the biggest part of my life right now. That spot’s been reserved for homework, my friends and family, and figuring out where I’m going to travel to next. My grades are better than they have been for years, and my family is as supportive as ever. Regarding the whole “travelling” thing, however, that’s still up in the air. I’ve been looking into the Pathways volunteer program that helps send students all over the US – and even sometimes overseas – as a way to do my TESOL practicum, but the jury’s still out on that one. I’d love to go back to Europe, and perhaps teach English to students in Germany. It’s still the beginning stages, but I’m hoping things work out with it.

Like its beginning, I’m not all too sure about how to end this post. So, I’ll just leave you with a quote seems to sum it up pretty well: “Find your pot of gold, and sit on it.” – John Gardner. I’ve found my pot of gold in a teaching profession; where will you find yours?


Becca Kaplan ’19, is a Spanish Secondary Education major with minors in TESOL and Business. As a commuter student, she spends most of her time on campus either studying, watching Netflix, or writing her next blog post. When classes are not in session, Becca usually travels, either visiting her parents in Florida, or her extended family in St. Louis.