Who the Sam Heck is Sam Heck?

Just a small-town girl, living in a lonely world…

Jk. I’m not that lonely. 😅

I grew up in the desert town of Fallon, Nevada, and moved to Reno to attend the University of Nevada, Reno. Fast forward 12 years, and I’m still here—fully Reno-fied, desert dust in my veins and all.

I earned my Bachelor’s in Elementary Education and started teaching Pre-K right out of college. After three years of wrangling toddlers (aka tiny tornadoes with snack crumbs), I made the leap to kindergarten and just wrapped up my fourth year there. And honestly? I love it. Kids are my favorite people—probably because I relate to them more than I do most adults. Big kid energy over here 💜

Baby Sam and my parents at my UNR graduation 2018

I can’t imagine doing anything else… unless you count sitting on a beach with my a** in the sand and toes in the water. (Thank you, summer break. 🙏)

Teaching truly has my heart. Watching my students grow and learn—academically, socially, emotionally—is the magic that keeps me going. It’s not always easy, but most of the time? I’m having the time of my life.

When I’m not in the classroom, you’ll find me:

• Walking my sweet dog Bailey 🐶

• Lifting weights at the gym (strong girl era)

• Hanging out with friends and fam

• Or let’s be honest—cozied up at home doing absolutely nothing. #Versatile

Bailey Girl

So, what the Sam Heck is this blog?

I created this space to document my journey as I press pause on my everyday teacher life and say yes to something totally new: a sabbatical year teaching abroad in Spain 🇪🇸. From expat life and solo travel to personal growth and a good old-fashioned glow-up—you’ll find it all here.

Thanks for being here, and welcome to the chaos.