Day 13: I can remember a few items from today’s school day. My struggle third and fourth period to energize my kids. My success seventh period at getting a group of kids to be excited about their first quiz. Bonding afterschool with a student cleaning my room.

But honestly, all I can think about right now is how tired I am. And I use the word “think” lightly. I feel drunk, and will be asleep approximately 27 seconds after I finish writing this. I have two lessons to prepare on Wednesday night, and between a wedding and Rosh Hashanah last weekend, I’ve been playing lots of catch-up.

I am a big fan of not whining about lack of sleep, and my goal here is not self-pity. It’s self-preservation. The professional goal I am most likely to neglect this year is a healthy work-life balance … mainly because while it’s easy to say, in practice, I’m your average nut-case must-be-perfect TFA teacher. This is a problem. I remember what it felt like to be burned out in March, calling my parents at 7:40 am just before the kids came in to get some reassurance that I was allowed to feel as wiped as I did.

I am putting myself on notice. If I have any prayer of keeping up my current level of happiness with school, I need to take care of both the kids and myself.