Now that you’re home again for the summer, people no longer know you as the “engineer” or the “teacher,” because, well, you’re not yet, and because no one knows your major. Family, friends, and even strangers ask you the same script of questions every time they talk to you: “Where do you go to school?” “How were your classes?” “Do you like it?” and so on and so forth. There is a similar common script that follows telling someone you study education. Eventually, you anticipate this and your answers become habitual. You know what you tell people and can compare your answers to your education-major-friends. But, as an education major myself, let me tell you, eventually our answers aren’t matching what’s going through our minds. I honestly do appreciate you having a conversation with me and being interested in learning more about my life, but sometimes we can’t help ourselves:

1. Oh, so you like kids?

Yes. Shocking right? No, of course not. Obviously you assumed that if I am choosing a job where I will be living in a world of 20:1 child-to-adult ratio that I had some sort of liking for children. Kids are cool...and our future - it will be my pleasure working with them.

courtesy of wekivaelementary.com

2. Are you sure you want to do that?

No, you know what? You asking me that has actually made me change my mind completely. I know that it takes a lot of patience, I know the economy isn’t great, surprisingly I even know that as an education major I won’t be making bank anytime soon. But, somehow, yes, I think I’ll find it in me to stick it out, thank you for checking though.

3. What grade do you want to teach? ….. Oh that’s a good age!

It’s almost a proven fact that whichever grade I would have responded with would have elicited the same response. But thank you, yes, I think so, too. I hope that students will be aged to my liking. But, honestly, I’ll go wherever they hire me.

courtesy of starsstragedy.org

4. My [insert a relative to literally any extent here] teaches!

Can I student teach for them? Can they hire me? A recommendation at least?

5. It takes someone special to teach children.

Thank you! But ahhh how am I supposed to respond to that? Yes? No? Thank you? I know I’m special? This is awkward.

courtesy of bloximages.com

6. Oooooh that’s so you.

*This is only said by people who hate school.* Oh thank you, I know that means that you think I’m lame, boring and could only be considered entertaining by five year olds. Instead of saying that though, I’m just going to smile and say “aww thank you!!”

7. Aww, that’s so cute!

I mean sure. I consider babies, puppies, and, depending on the sense of the word, baseball players to be cute, but, if you find my career choice cute, then you do you. As long as you don’t think it’s cute because you think it’s so adorably easy…in which case you are horribly mistaken…feel free to think whatever you’d like. Please excuse my slightly confused/slightly fake nod and smile in response though.

Yes, I know. People ask these because, for the most part, education majors are as basic as basic gets; there are very few things that differentiate us. We know that. As I said before, I really do appreciate your interest in my life. Unfortunately, my brain was born sarcastic, but I will use all my power to teach my students to be nicer than I ever was.