#umflintgrad

My second diploma finally came in the mail today after several misunderstandings with the registrar regarding my address. Immediately I wanted to take a picture of the pair of them and the cat took that as a sign to walk all over it with her poop paws and try to crinkle it with her little body. I screeched and said “do you know how much those cost me?!” But she was also too cute to be too angry at #umflint #umflintgrad #umich #umicharts #catstagram #catsofinstagram (at Flint, Michigan)

My second diploma finally came in the mail today after several misunderstandings with the registrar regarding my address. Immediately I wanted to take a picture of the pair of them and the cat took that as a sign to walk all over it with her poop paws and try to crinkle it with her little body. I screeched and said “do you know how much those cost me?!” But she was also too cute to be too angry at #umflint #umflintgrad #umich #umicharts #catstagram #catsofinstagram (at Flint, Michigan)

My second diploma finally came in the mail today after several misunderstandings with the registrar regarding my address. Immediately I wanted to take a picture of the pair of them and the cat took that as a sign to walk all over it with her poop paws and try to crinkle it with her little body. I screeched and said “do you know how much those cost me?!” But she was also too cute to be too angry at #umflint #umflintgrad #umich #umicharts #catstagram #catsofinstagram (at Flint, Michigan)

I did a smart people thing today #umflint #umflintgrad #umicharts #leadersandbest #hail #umichalumni (at Flint, Michigan)

It’s hard not to think of this week as a week of endings, because that seems too sad. But last night I was with my fellow art students at @umflintcas honors ceremonies, gathered for one of the last times. It’s funny because when you start going to school, you’re really business like about it and you just go to class and go home. But then you start talking to the people around you, feeling more comfortable and more at home. You learn more about your classmates, your teachers and your programs. Sometimes you become close friends, sometimes you become confidants, and sometimes you become awkward strangers. Sometimes you laugh with them, sometimes you fight with them, and occasionally you might even cry with them. Six years of my life was spent at @umflint and a lot of that time was spent with these people. These quirky, brilliant, talented, strange and wonderful people. I’m so lucky to have been part of a small department and university where I have been able to have so many of these relationships. Even though we separate, I know that these individuals will do wonderful things as they move forward into their careers and their lives. I hope I can continue to watch and cheer them on as they do #umflintgrad #umflint #classof2018 #umicharts #umichalumni (at Flint, Michigan)

Tonight I sit on my porch putting in last minute grades, wrapping up my seminar projects and reflecting. Tomorrow is my last day at Mott Middle College as a student teacher in their visual arts program. This has been without a doubt the most challenging semester of my life. Working 40 hours at the school, fitting in lesson planning and grading between work and completing work for the seminar class often left me scrambling and feeling like I was dropping every single ball I was tossed. I am used to being busy but this amount of work hit me like a semi truck. If you have a teacher in your life, hug them and tell them they’re a rockstar. Shit is not easy. But while it was challenging to juggle all these responsibilities along with moving and keeping my life together, this semester was also extremely rewarding. Felicia and I have joked that if you can survive student teaching you can survive anything and I really do believe that. Being pushed into a fire burns but it also forces you to rise up, to redouble your efforts, and to push back. Even on my most stressful days, I still want to be an educator. Even though I will have hundreds, thousands of students in my life, these were my first. These were the brave and patient souls who put up with my experimentation, my missteps and my awkward sense of humor. I will miss their sass, their laughter and their quick wits. I will miss their kind hearts and their extraordinary grit. I will miss them. I couldn’t have asked for a better placement or a better mentor teacher. Thanks for sharing your kids with me @matthewosmon #umflint #umflintgrad #classof2018 #threedays (at Flint, Michigan)

Melanin all over the campus of University of Michigan! Representation matters! Multiple degrees and Alumni! #GoBlue #QueensBeLike #KingsBeLike #umflintgrad #umflintalumni #representationmatters #blackatumich #bbum #BlackGradsMatter #changethenarrative (at Michigan Stadium "The Big House")

Go Blue on the Bricks! I'm proud to be an alum of the University of Michigan-Flint! The Leaders and Best! Hail to the Victors! The Champions of the West! #GoBlue #umflintgrad #umflintalum #MaizeAndBlue #TwoTimeGraduate #BADegree #MADegree #QueensBeLike #HailToTheVictors #JiasWorld #umflint (at University of Michigan-Flint)