Dear Professors,

Hey, it's me! I'm either the super quiet one or the really loud one. I'm a hardworking student and I try my best to participate in classes. I like to spend the class listening to your lecture because I'm deeply interested in what you have to say and am wanting to learn everything I can from you.

I want to thank you for all your wisdom that you are doing your best to teach the class. I know there are the disruptive students or notoriously absent students, but there are ones that care deeply about the class and thank you for being there to guide us. I thank you for your interest in your students lives beyond the classroom, taking the time to talk through our struggles when we voice them to you. These last two school years have been hard, with my mom being sick and other events that have taken an emotional toll on me.

You've been great helping me through, to focus on the good things and to power through the semesters. It's been tough but knowing you care helps a lot with getting by. I was told in high school my professors wouldn't even know my name, but every semester you take the time to remember everyone's names and make sure to be pleasant towards them. I want to thank you for making me feel like not just another student, that I am unique and that my work matters. The words I say matter and the words I write matter. I matter.

Taking the time to talk with me during office hours or by email when I'm struggling means the world, so thank you. Thank you for caring for your students as if they were your kids whom you only see twice a week. Thank you for your long nights grading quizzes and writing comments on my essays, it means a lot when I know you took the time to help me be a better student going forward. I thank you for dropping the lowest test grades most times because you know one bad day shouldn't define our semester.

Thank you for seeing the best in all your students and cutting them slack when you know they're having a hard time. I thank you for allowing me and all your students to have our voices heard when we have an opinion on a topic. It's appreciated to know someone truly cares what we have to say, and that we are in a safe space to say it. I know one day I will graduate and no longer be in your class, but know that I will go forward and be better because of the lessons I learned from your classes. Whether it be literature or journalism or anything in between, I will go forth into the world being a better reader, writer, learner, listener, and person overall. Thank you for all you do, always know you are appreciated.

Sincerely,
Victoria