This is for Mrs. Collins, my high school chemistry teacher who never taught: thank you.

You are one of my most memorable teachers I have ever had. No, you weren't nice, you weren't soft, you weren't easy. You didn't even have a single day devoted to teaching concepts, and you didn't really have sympathy for our poor test scores. But that's not what defined you as a good teacher.

Based off my experiences, the best teachers teach you things more than just the things in that outlined curriculum hiding in their binder under the desks. They prepare you for the next step through guidance and support, yet they're always fair, meaning they give you what you give them.

I've had amazing memories with plenty of teachers that have shaped me into who I am now, from my bio teacher hearing me rant every day about colleges and soon mocking me thereafter, to my English teachers for making me struggle every day to find what rhetoric means (I'm actually still unsure). But there's nothing like my good ole' chemistry teacher Mrs. Collins.

During my sophomore year of high school, I was interested in continuing chemistry and taking AP the next year. Everyone urged me to not take her, as she was notoriously known for her "impossible" tests without any curve or extra credit. All of my best friends refused to take the class with me, and honestly, I remember that summer before my junior year was the second time I was actually scared to take a class, just behind US History I of course...

AP chemistry was just a rollercoaster ride, full of met expectations and surprises, good and bad. To begin with, the class was not easy or laid back, and to top that Mrs. Collins never even taught us one topic. The class was practically an independent study course, either we spent the class just reading, taking notes, solving problems on our own, or doing lab work. There were no lectures, no Powerpoints, no lessons.

To make matters even worse, I had this fear of Mrs. Collins, as people were telling me she was just evil in terms of grades and tests. Over the course of the year, however, all of these fears I originally had began to fade away and my perspective began to change. Honestly, one of the biggest things I took away from that year was don't listen to people that don't know you, it's all BS.

There was nothing to fear about Mrs. Collins, as she was 4’11’’ with an illuminating bright smile and one of the most contagious laughs ever. When I realized how laid back and fun she was, my relationship with her became something memorable, from the times we would scream at kids to go to Plus Block for attendance or make jokes at or with each other and laugh our heads off soon after. We either made a great team, or we were head-to-head rivals, but we always had the same sense of humor, and that made chemistry so special and so enjoyable to go to.

In terms of the workload, the course was rigorous and definitely at times very hard to manage. But even then, Mrs. Collins wasn't going to ever have sympathy for us, give us any special benefits or push any due dates back, no way. Her biggest was saying, "STOP WHINING!!", yet I honestly probably whined and begged more than any student she's ever had. Due to this brutal course structure, I began to realize the true importance of organization, time-management, and best of all, my potential. Every class there was always a new assignment for us on the wall, to either read another 7 sections in a chapter or continue another 100 chapter problems. But I began to practice these new skills.

Through the year my ability to manage the work load and balance out my busy schedule all began to develop. The pressure was always on my back, but I had to keep the engines moving, no matter how much I wanted to give up. As Mrs. Collins had said, there was no time for lectures or lessons because the course was just so heavy, and I completely agree. The fact that she didn't teach made me realize so much about myself. I had learned more from that class than any other class I ever took in high school, and we didn't have one lecture.

Your grade was your fate, either you put in the work or you didn’t, very simple. This class set the mentality for the rest of high school, now in college, and probably forever. It was the first time in my life where I actually had to willingly do assignments, not just because I was going to get free points for trying. Understanding the important values in hard work, organization, and stress management all began from this course.

Mrs. Collins, thank you for not teaching, thank you for putting that extra stress on us, and thank you for believing in our capabilities. Even though you didn't teach you were always an open resource for us to clear up confusions. You pushed us to step out of comfort zone and reach out to you first. Every morning you were the first one at the school, and you never said no to helping a student.

Thank you for making learning fun, engaging, and pushing us to not be shy about not knowing. Thank you for your notoriously difficult exams, because it made me work harder than I ever have before. Thank you for loving us and letting us be crazy or loud, and thank you for creating a classroom environment without shame or hesitation.

So many people in that class I would never have even talked to if not for the collaborative environment where I could freely ask questions and build friendships. Thank you for writing my college recommendation letter, thank you for letting me bother you and peek my head into your classroom and say hi every day. Thank you for not teaching me nothing about chemistry. Most important, thank you for being my best friend.