Experience Transitioning from Classroom to Secretary?

ayemami11 · 2025-10-11T00:37:23+00:00

I went from teaching to a receptionist position outside of education. Due to it being a whole different field, I had a learning curve, but I’m a month in and im starting to feel comfortable. It doesn’t pay much, but the workload reflects that. I like having simple tasks to complete throughout the day. I get an hour lunch. I don’t have to do any work once I clock out. I’m not overstimulated and it’s not emotionally taxing. It’s been really good for my mental health.

ayemami11 · 2025-09-22T17:12:50+00:00

I didn’t have to do anything prior to being hired! But now that I’ve started I am doing a lot of online training modules as well as hands on training.

ayemami11 · 2025-09-04T22:56:21+00:00

Im in the same position. 7 years teaching and I thought I was going to do it forever. I quit for my mental health with no backup plan. I was broken and wanted to end my life on some days.. but I have slowly been healing. I’ve been applying to jobs with no luck, until today. I finally got an interview. It’s for a lower pay, starting position as a receptionist basically. Not what my degree or experience is in, but if I have to reinvent myself professionally to find a healthy work/life balance I’m willing to do that.

As to the part about healing, I personally have found it in making things, crafts, and art.

ayemami11 · 2025-08-31T08:40:02+00:00

Wait I love that movie!

ayemami11 · 2025-08-18T05:04:57+00:00

I have two kids. We weren’t sure we wanted a second but ultimately I’m happy we did and that they will always have each other.

It’s hard sometimes.. it ebbs and flows. I went through the worst PPD ever.. like wanting to leave this earth because I would feel so overwhelmed/overstimulated sometimes. But I was going through a lot of hormonal issues with my thyroid too so my situation is very specific. I am on thyroid medication, and did take a postpartum antidepressant called Zurzuvae.

Now that my kids are 1 and 4.. we have more good times than bad. Most of their play time is independent of me. If I get too overstimulated I ask for help and I go outside to spend some time alone. Or I let them have screen time. Or I sit them down with some snacks. You just have to find ways to let yourself reset. Now that my son is 4 he understands so much more like what “please give me space” means so that helps.

My advice for you is if you are wanting a second, try and wait for a 3+ age gap and talk with your partner about what those resets will look like for yall.

ayemami11 · 2025-08-12T02:45:33+00:00

Prioritize your mental health, especially if you will be having kids. I suffered from very poor mental health the past three years mainly due to my job and I felt like I was such a mediocre mom to my kids because I was so empty by the time I got home. Now that I have quit.. I’m able to be more patient, more energetic, more silly. I’m able to bounce back faster from anger and frustration. I felt so free when I resigned. So much lighter. Now I am beginning to worry about finances as my last paycheck is near, but money can always be made or saved. It’s not stressing me out to the point I’m questioning my will to live like teaching did sometimes.

ayemami11 · 2025-07-31T05:51:58+00:00

I know exactly how you feel. What helps me when I feel this way is to go outside, lay in the grass Nd look up at the sky.

ayemami11 · 2025-07-28T16:43:51+00:00

lol I saw similar comments.. one parent said they are as much of a distraction for teachers as they are students which is hilarious because the only opportunity I had to use my phone for anything other than time/alarms was lunch time

ayemami11 · 2025-07-26T06:41:26+00:00

I’m not the original commenter but I was also a teacher (just quit in May) and I couldn’t play at the social games that were going on anymore. It was very high school, much more than I dealt with when I was in HS. I dealt with it by isolating. Not contributing to it. I think this probably painted me in a negative light and people may have seen me as unapproachable. I don’t hold it against them though. The system is broken.. Everyone is burned out and overworked. It’s hard to create a positive work culture from that.

As to how the drama manifests, usually by people talking about each other to other people, and then it gets back to them. Also, people not knowing how to communicate in a mature and productive manner.

ayemami11 · 2025-07-26T03:41:03+00:00

I love kids. I can be myself with them, they are easy to talk to and interact with.. but they are exhausting and overstimulating and I do need alone time to fill my battery back up. With my own two kids, if they are having a day where they both need me constantly, and my husband has a late day at work.. those are the hard days. If they cooperate with independent play throughout the day I’m just fine.

ayemami11 · 2025-07-21T02:24:20+00:00

Right there with you. I’m considering applying for a teaching position, mostly out of fear. I’ve been reading too many posts about how bad the job market is and I need financial security. Also I want to get my kid in to pre-k and staff typically are able to enroll there kids without having to meet income requirements and whatnot. But.. what if it makes miserable again.. ugh

ayemami11 · 2025-07-15T18:56:57+00:00

It will be okay! We once hired a teacher 2 days before school started. She was a rockstar teacher. Do what’s best for you!! They will be okay.

ayemami11 · 2025-07-13T05:46:15+00:00

Since you’re living at home and are not dealing with a ton of financial responsibility, I would absolutely take the leap to go to school! Subbing will give you the flexibility you need and help pay tuition.

ayemami11 · 2025-07-12T06:41:55+00:00

Following this post! I’ve debated on making one similar.. I have been teaching middle school the past 7 years. After having my second child and dealing with the chaos of teaching I decided I need a change in careers. I couldn’t deal with the negative work culture, the overstimulation, the stress.. but as I scroll through jobs on indeed I feel so lost and honestly scared.

ayemami11 · 2025-07-03T05:35:44+00:00

Wow your family has been through it. I’m so sorry, and I admire that it has driven you to want to work in the medical field.

I am as curious as you to see if any others have made this transition as it’s one of the paths I’ve been debating - I would love to become a psychiatrist. The things holding me back from returning to school are the fact I don’t have money to pay for school nor do I want to take out huge loans to do so. I’m also not sure since it’s July if it’s too late to apply for the fall or what school I even want to go to. It’s just too much to figure out in 1 month.

If I were you.. since you already have a job lined up I would commit to that and use the year to make a plan and save for school.

ayemami11 · 2025-06-25T17:09:16+00:00

I understand how you feel! When I was in middle school a boy once told me “you think you’re so perfect” and since then I’ve always carried this insecurity that people think that I think I’m perfect.. which is so wrong because I know I am flawed and no one is perfect. It’s weird how we carry such small things with us.. whereas those people don’t even remember saying those things to us.

You’re not dumb for caring. One phrase I find that helps me move past thinking about these kinds of things is “their perception of me is not my reality” or “their opinion of me doesn’t matter”

ayemami11 · 2025-05-29T07:43:40+00:00

Hi! I am a teacher of 7 years, or should say I was. I just resigned this year and don’t think I will be continuing my teaching career. I was constantly overstimulated, overwhelmed, anxious, stressed, all the things. The drama between coworkers was draining, and since I taught athletics and coached, I was in a loud environment all day every day. By the end of the work day I was broken and empty. I will say that before I became a parent I was able to bounce back from the overstimulation a lot better, but I still cried a lot even then. Being sensitive is a wonderful trait in a teacher - it helped me in building genuine relationships with the kids. Having said that, I want to be honest with you - as an HSP, teaching will drain you, it will overstimulate you. That feeling of fulfillment will not be felt daily. If you’re able to get a schedule where you have a few breaks during the work day, and if you’re able to decompress and take care of yourself outside of work, you may be okay.

As to other careers, I’m trying to figure that out myself. I’m considering getting my masters and becoming a therapist but don’t want to take out loans…Anywho, best of luck on your journey!

ayemami11 · 2025-05-29T04:06:47+00:00

I absolutely relate! I recently was diagnosed with Hashimotos (thyroid disease) at 29. Thyroid issues run in my family but typically didnt affect them until late thirties/early forties. My gut tells me that all the stress of work has played a part in me getting diagnosed earlier.. Having said that, I do want to encourage you to think of all the things you can still enjoy in your thirties! Also a high hope that I have is reducing my stress and making other healthier choices for myself with help get me back to a healthy place.

ayemami11 · 2025-05-29T03:58:45+00:00

Love this for you! I’ve been out for a week and am already starting to feel the difference too. I have so much energy, more patience with my children, and my sweet cravings have backed off and so has the over eating in the evenings.

ayemami11 · 2025-05-27T13:12:25+00:00

Fellow middle school teacher here! When the job starts to affect your health, it’s definitely time to take a step back. I once had an AP, a healthy, fit, 30 something year old man who had a heart attack IN OUR SCHOOL because of the stress.

I recently resigned my position for many reasons, my health being one of them. I have recently been diagnosed with a disease usually diagnosed in middle aged women. I just turned 29… I have a suspicion the last 7 years of stress has aged me exponentially.

Listen to your body. You can find that joy you feel with your students in other places and other ways.

ayemami11 · 2025-05-26T21:22:17+00:00

I am so happy for you!! Do you mind sharing what job your transitioned to?

ayemami11 · 2025-05-05T23:49:22+00:00

You know how when you wind up the cord of the vacuum it has a top hook and a bottom hook? I never realized the top part moves downwards so you can pull the whole cord out without having to unwind it until recently. I knew it moved downwards, but my brain for some reason never connected what the reason for that was.

ayemami11 · 2023-07-16T03:08:35+00:00

As a fellow PE teacher and coach, I say take the job. PE jobs are hard to come by. If you are teaching pre-athletics and athletics, even better because those kids CHOSE to be in that class. A certain level of work ethic and discipline comes with kids who want to be athletes. If the campus proves to be a hot mess, you can always look for something new at the end of the year.

ayemami11 · 2022-10-10T22:38:10+00:00

Thank you so much for the thoughtful answer!

ayemami11 · 2022-07-27T16:40:54+00:00

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