As a student, I went through school with one goal in mind: To become a high school band director.

I wanted to teach my students to love music as much as I did, while learning how to play instruments that they'd eventually become experts at. That was the only thing on my mind and I had intended for it to stay that way—until I got to college and actually began my Music Education degree.

Eventually, I learned it wasn't for me and I made up my mind that I wanted to pursue another passion of mine. Intending to teach theatre later in life, I switched to a Technical Theatre degree after a semester of music and I thought I was set for life. Yet, here I am a year and a half later, wondering if that's still the best option for me.

Not sure if I even wanted to teach at all, I returned home for the semester to figure out what I wanted to do in life.

Being home was already beginning to get exhausting.

I knew I needed something to keep me busy, and I couldn't think of anything. In a desperate attempt to get me out of the house, my mom suggested I apply to be a substitute teacher at the school I went to. Soon enough, I was on my feet teaching classes and filling in for teachers wherever I was needed.

I've worked at the elementary school and junior high, I've already taught first through fourth graders and sixth graders, and I can honestly say I've enjoyed most of the days I've filled in for a teacher.

There's something about kids, especially third graders, that just makes me feel like I'm doing something right. You could get incredibly frustrated with them and chew them out for misbehaving, but they'll forget all of that the next time they see you in the hall, or the next time they come into their classroom for the morning and see you sitting at the teacher's desk.

Don't get me wrong, there are some times when it's just all so much that I'm not even sure if teaching is for me.

I'll stop to consider that I'm the youngest substitute teacher in the school district because everyone else my age is actually pursuing their futures and careers at a college of some sort. I continuously have to remind myself that yeah, while I'm not exactly moving at the same pace as people my age, I'm still not behind any of them either.

I've grown to be OK with where I'm at. It's not the best paying job, and it isn't necessarily my end-goal career, but I'm happy.

Having these kids get excited when they find out I'm filling in for their teacher is worth it, and that's something I'm content with.