As we are full-swing into spring, I am once again reflecting on the silly, serious, and sometimes absurd things my students tell me in the after-school program I work for. As an update: we are still meeting over Zoom, I still barely ever see a camera on (middle school insecurity that none of us miss having!), and the students are still unafraid to speak their minds! So, back for my loyal followers, more things my middle school students say that just make sense:

• Me: Remember, no class next Wednesday because it’s Veteran’s Day!
• Student: Uh Ms. Colleen, do veterans get that day off or do they have to work because it’s their day?

• “Oh my gosh Ms. Colleen, I’m so excited because my mom says since I’m growing, she’s going to buy me new pajamas from the ~women’s~ section!” 

• “I like to challenge myself so I’m giving myself three weeks to write an entire book.” 
• *Two weeks later*
• “I barely wrote one sentence. Writing a book is HARD!” 

• Me: You know I used to work at Starbucks?
• Student: You look like a person who would work there. 

• “Ms. Colleen, can I sell you my little brother? He’s on sale for free.” 

• Student: I wish I had been born in another state, like, what if I had been born in Ohio and moved to California?
• Me: Why would you want to be from Ohio??
• Student: I don’t know, it sounds exciting. 

• “Ms. Colleen when you get married, you better call us” – (I am hopelessly single)

• “Sometimes you ask for help and Ms. Colleen doesn’t know math either.”

• *One student to another* 
• “Ms. Colleen is a pretty good therapist.” 

• *Student to me*
• “It’s hard being a semi-teacher, isn’t?”