Highs and Low of Starting a New Job

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Highs and Lows of Starting a New JobWe all dream about loving a job so much that it doesn’t seem like work. Well, I’m here to tell you that I have that job. I am the new English/Journalism teacher at Roosevelt High School in Des Moines. When this opportunity presented itself to me, I had to jump on it. My family and I live in the Roosevelt school district, so this was a no brainer for me. But, there are also highs and lows that come with taking a new job.

More Family Time

I was commuting two hours a day to and from work. There were times where I enjoyed listening to 80s hair bands on the way to work, but now I have a much easier and faster commute. That means I get to spend more time with the family. Always a win.

Connections to the Community

As the journalism teacher, I often have to spend time talking to the community about advertising in our publications. This is easy to do when I live in and am part of the community. My kids love going to the events at TRHS, too.

All the Opportunity

As with any change in job, you hope for more opportunity in your new position. I am thrilled to be a part of the largest school district in Iowa. This allows for more opportunities professionally.

But there are always lows, too.

Unfamiliar Surroundings

When you leave a job , you give up the comfort and the ease of familiarity. One of the hardest things about starting a new job is learning all the new ropes. On one of the first days of school I was to find a classroom for a training. I wandered around for more than 20 minutes before finding it. The same goes for procedures and processes. There is a certain way to do things at your new job. It look me awhile (let’s be honest, I still don’t know everything), but with time and help from other staff members, I’m catching on.

Work BFFs

Leaving people that you have spent so much of your waking time with is hard. I have a great group of friends from my last school. I miss them daily. We’re able to catch up on group texts and Facebook, but I miss our laughs at lunch and quick talks in the hallways. It can be hard to make new work friends, but maybe sometime soon I will have new work BFFs.

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With a new job, you can feel overwhelmed with living up to expectations. Be sure to manage your time wisely. Specifically, manage your life/work balance. I tend to go all out for what I love to do, and while that is great, it can take a toll on my family. So I have had to pull back a little bit and focus on them, too.

What were your highs/lows when you started a new job?

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