“I experience life through literature because words are a beautiful thing, and it is through words and the power they hold that I am able to make meaning.” –Erin Dziak

 

My first ever day of field placement, I got lost in the school; thankfully, I was not alone.  At Scott High School in Toledo, I was paired with a girl named Erin Dziak, because she came right after me alphabetically.  We would be observing the same classrooms for the semester.  Following the obscure directions given to us by the principal (which we later realized we misunderstood), Erin and I set off to find our first classroom, which was in Building 3.  Thinking that these were all separate buildings, we saw an exit to outside, and left.  Looking around, we saw what must have been Building 3, walked up the steps, and pulled on the doors, only to find that we were locked out.  For a couple seconds, we both stood there, dumbfounded, not knowing what to do next.  After about a minute of us trying to decide what to do, a faculty member came and let us in, asking where we had gone.  He then explained that the hallway we passed before leaving the building connected Building 3 to the main building, and we did not have to go outside.  We were both thoroughly embarrassed, but at least we were sharing this embarrassment.  Throughout that whole semester, we bonded in our classrooms (one where we did absolutely nothing and the other where we wound up co-teaching a lesson), and we began a tradition with Dylan to have lunch after placement every week, which we have continued this semester and appropriately dubbed “fam lunch.”  Having Erin as a friend has encouraged me to branch out and become a better leader because we applied together for (and were offered) officer positions in the Adolescent/Young Adult Association.  She helps me grow professionally (as seen through AYAA), as well as emotionally (by allowing me to vent to her about many of my problems and offering advice).  Our friendship has also enhanced my appreciation of literature by having another person with whom to share it.  I’ve realized that Erin and I were able to develop our relationship so quickly not only because of our circumstances, but also because of our shared love of literature.  This is the medium through which Erin experiences her life, and she uses the power of the written word to shape her world.  I know that our friendship will only grow stronger over the years, and it is my hope that one day, we will both be able to share our love of literature with our students, and by sharing the words and texts closest to us, we will show them we love and care about them, therefore fulfilling both of our meanings in life.