My “90 in a 35” – Teacher Edition 🚗💨
If you’ve spent any time on TikTok or Instagram Reels lately, you’ve probably seen the “90 in a 35” trend blowing up. It’s basically people sharing those little things that instantly hype them up, boil their blood, or send their adrenaline through the ROOF — like they’re going 90 miles an hour in a 35 mph zone. And you already KNOW the classroom has plenty of those moments.
So today, I’m bringing you my personal list of teacher 90 in a 35 moments — the good, the bad, and the just plain unhinged. 🤪
🎯 “Can I still turn this in?”
It’s the last week of the quarter. The project was due TWO MONTHS AGO. Baby, that ship has sailed, sunk, and been excavated by historians.
No literally- can we talk about this because WHYY do I hate late work sooo much! Why is it so hard to turn in assignments on time for highschoolers?!?
💬 “Mrs., why did you fail me?”
No boo… I didn’t fail you. You failed YOU. I just entered the numbers. Let’s be so for real right now.
I cannot stand when a student says this!- well you didn’t let me do test recovery, well yeah baby you never even asked for it! LOL- I cannot make this up!!
🙃 Parent: “They don’t act like that at home.”
Ohhhh okay, YEAHH…Of course they don’t! I’m not at your house! I’m a whole different environment with rules, boundaries, and expectations. Your child’s alter ego must live in my classroom then, because by the way they are acting.. PHEWWWW
No but really, there are some moments that are truly AMAZING and hype me up the most as a teacher!
🔥 When a student says, “This class is actually fun.”
OH OKAYYYY! That’s the fuel I needed to make another over-the-top lesson, dress up in my favorite historical outfit & do a classroom transformation!!! Thank you, you are now my favorite!
🙌 When you run a Socratic Seminar and the kids actually take the wheel.
No interruptions. No chaos. Just pure, thoughtful discussion, self-led and flowing like a beautiful academic river. That’s the kind of moment I will dream about all summer.- now not all classes are gonna be like that ONE class.. iykyk.. but at least im not jammin “Jesus Take the Wheel” by Carrie Underwood in my head, at least once a day!
🚪 When they actually follow the bellringer directions without asking, “Do we have to do this?”
YES. YES YOU DO. And the fact that you just did it without questioning me? Instant serotonin.
UGHHH my pet peeve.. what do you mean do we have to do this?! We do a bellringer EVERYDAY. ALL. YEAR. LONG!!
📝 When I leave thorough feedback and the student actually uses it to improve their work.
Now that’s growth. That’s maturity. That’s what we like to see! I will GLADLY grade your revision. — Honestly, tears… can you even get any better than this.. I might by them a teacher appreciation gift by the end of the school year, because YOU child are the reason I show up everyday!
🥲 When the ONE kid who never talks volunteers a thoughtful answer.
Speedometer jumps to 120 in a school zone. That’s a core memory being formed right there & my momma/teacher heart just exploded into a million pieces because im over the moon proud and happy!!
Being a teacher means living on an emotional rollercoaster where you're laughing one minute, crying the next, and mentally designing bulletin boards during staff meetings. And through all the chaos, it’s the “90 in a 35” moments—good and bad—that keep us coming back.
DM me your own teacher 90-in-a-35s or tag me on Instagram @mrs.richie_highschool so we can scream into the void together (and maybe laugh while we’re at it).
We’re all just trying to survive this wild ride in one piece—with a strong coffee, a good pen, and maybe a working copier. Maybe.
Love you, mean it 💛
—Mrs. Richie
