The Butterfly Effect: Moments of the Week: Goodbyes and the Self Fulfilling Prophecy

Ah, the week is over. I am actually pretty darn excited about it because I only have two classes next week before Thanksgiving! I cannot wait to stop trying to hide my Christmas music. Finally! Finally, I can be out in the open with it :)

Here's what my week was like.

As I'm sure you know, my 20th birthday was last sunday.

It was a great, low key day. It was perfect.

We began the day with cleaning out our garage to prepare for Christmas decorations! (I already have my tree up in my room :) ) Anyway, this is what my brothers did to get rid of the trash. Our car wasn't big enough, so they just sat it on the back. Luckily it was only about 500ft to the garbage, but still, I couldn't resist getting a picture of our Griswold-ness.

Then later that evening, we went to The Melting Pot for fondue!

Fondue is my jam. For reals.

Well, actually I just like the cheese and the chocolate. Who needs meat anyway?

This past week was full of sad goodbyes. I officially finished my observation hours at the elementary school and I was so sad.

I developed connections with all the kids and it was hard saying goodbye. They all gave me big hugs and told me that they don't want me to leave. (which made it so much worse!) Luckily, my teacher invited me to visit anytime, so I might just have to take her up on that offer!

This was also my last week of work for this year!

My job only goes from August-November then January-May so by the time I get back, most of 'my' kids will have graduated to the next class.

It was especially hard saying goodbye to this dude!

(face blocked for privacy reasons)

I most certainly don't play favorites, but this guy had been in my class ever since I started. He always gives me the biggest hugs and calls me "miss amber" instead of the usual "teacher." I'm gonna miss him! Good thing he's just moving down the hall.

I'm also finishing up my last semester at school until I move on to university.

I've been sorta struggling with my algebra course. I've been making an average of 60 on all of our previous tests, so in order to pass the course, I had to make a higher grade on the upcoming test.

I was panicking and thinking worst case scenario about everything. I didn't feel prepared for the test and I pretty much decided that I would have to drop the course before I failed.

All this to say, I was talking with another professor later and I found myself saying to her "I'm terrible at math." She immediately cut me off and told me the best advice I arguably ever received.

She asked, (I paraphrase) "How long have you been saying that you're bad at math?"

I replied, "I think as long as I remember."

She then said "You know, you're subjecting yourself to this thing called Self Fulfilling Prophecy and you're basically setting yourself up for failure. You truly are what you think you are. You see, you keep telling yourself "I'm terrible at math" but what if you truly aren't? What if you just had a bad day and ever since then you've told yourself that you can't succeed at math. In fact, most people who claim they're bad at math actually aren't, it just takes them longer than 'normal' to understand and grasp the material.

So from now on, I don't want you to tell yourself that you're bad at math anymore. From now on you ARE good at math. You ARE smart and you WILL succeed."

I made the highest grade I've ever made on that test, and now am passing the course (with an 80!!).

Then, I read this question on my quiz yesterday and cried just a bit.