Captain Sarah Dobbs, US History/ Geography teacher

What book, movie, or other form of media influenced you the most?

“Definitely just music in general. There’s a song for everything. Music can change your mood or reflect it. I don’t think anyone really influences me. I don’t really have a celebrity role model.”

What’s your favorite part of the day?

“Just every part. I just love being alive. I guess if I had to choose one part, the morning. Believe it or not, every day, this is gonna sound cheesy, every night I’m a little sad, but I’m excited to wake up the next morning, and go to work and do the thing I love. The morning just has a lot of potential, but there’s also something melancholically peaceful about the night and sunset. Yeah, all parts of the day.”

What little parts in the day make it better?

“Also going to sound cheesy, but you guys, my students. I think just human interaction in general. Human beings just make life fun. Humans are just an endless source of interest for me, that’s why I studied sociology, and anthropology in college. Also running, I love running.”

You studied sociology. What else did you study and what was your favorite?

“Just social studies in general. I studied sociology, and anthropology, and then I got my educational degree. I got a minor in conflict resolution. I actually went to the college I went to because of the peace and conflict courses. They have the best and oldest peace and conflict studies in the country. Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania, which is a small private liberal arts college.”

What’s a lesson you learned the hard way in college, or in general?

“My toughest lessons came the year after college. That’s the year where you are thrown from everyone taking care of you. College is a big shock. When I went to college I went all the way across the country. 

There were two big shocks in my young adult life, one was my freshman year of college, one was my freshman year of adulting. 

In college I was away from my family,  away from the beach, away from home, and I had to take care of myself. But even then, college is taking care of you. 

The biggest thing I learned was learning to be alone. So much in our society pulls us away from who we are. Learning to be alone, but not lonely, is the most important thing I learned. That goes with loving yourself. I hiked along the Appalachian Trail and that really taught me to love myself.”

What’s been the happiest moment of your life?

“Being a teacher at Venice–not even joking. The day I got hired and saw all my hard work pay off, all my hours, my blood, sweat and tears, all paid off. I started as a student here and it went full circle.

 It wasn’t one moment, but just being here has been the happiest part of my life, and this is not it, there is more Sarah Dobbs yet to come. I have plans, but to date this has been the happiest time of my life.”

What about the saddest?

“The year after college. The year after college I had some of my highest highs, but some of my lowest lows as well. No one lived near me, and I had to start over. I just wasn’t fulfilled. I didn’t feel like I had a purpose. I was working as a hostess, and I was in a toxic, abusive relationship. I was distant from my family. I just didn’t like my life. But I needed these challenges, needed to walk through fire to rise like a phoenix. Bad moments are as important as the good ones.”