Tatum Vega was in high school when she first dreamed of becoming a teacher. After graduating from the University of Florida in Gainesville where she grew up, she spent two years teaching at a small private school in Virginia. She is excited to be back in Florida and closer to her family. Vega is the oldest of three girls, one of whom is a sophomore at Florida State University, and the youngest is starting her freshman year of high school in Gainesville.
(Kostas Saravanos)
Outside the classroom, when she gets some free time in her busy schedule, Vega enjoys drawing, hanging out with her cat Hazel and attending concerts with friends such as her recent Dan + Shay concert.
This year, she is most excited about teaching her students how to draw Lewis structures and the math side of science, as she was originally a math major in college before deciding to get a degree in chemistry.
When asked if she has any advice for aspiring science majors, Vega said “It’s more of a warning. It is really hard, especially if you want to pursue chemistry.” To all students, she gives advice to take care of not just academic achievements, but also mental health. She says that in college, “I learned how to set boundaries and limits, and not to push myself past those limits. So don’t say yes to too many things at once, don’t push yourself past that limit, because then you’re going to get burnt out.”
To students who are taking her class and other hard courses, she advises them to have grace with themselves. “If you are struggling to grasp a topic or just succeed the way that you want to, you shouldn’t put pressure on yourself to always achieve such high standards, because it is okay not to be okay.”
