Why I Love My Job

The first week of classes is crazy. Like, beyond challenging. It can sometimes lead you to believe you are the crazy one and you can even have moments of weakness where you question why you chose this profession. We are all lucky to survive it. 

And then you get affirmation. 

Tonight, I stupidly checked my email. And there, in my inbox, is an email from a student sent at 9:15p on a Friday night. 

This causes heart palpitations. Thoughts race through my head about what the crisis could be, knowing I likely can't begin to trouble-shoot it until Monday. 

That is the thing about higher ed, or any job in general, you constantly fear the worst. 

I immediately think what did I do wrong. Not even what did I do wrong, but what could I have done better? How could I have better served the student? How could I have better communicated so the student didn't have a question or an issue at 9 pm on a Friday night. A million thoughts race within a millisecond. 

I open the email and it is from a student in the class that I teach.  The student would like me to review his speech (and I encourage my students to do this) five whole days before it is due. 

And it is perfect.