This isn't what it looks like. Really.

I'm sure you're expecting to read something about a little horned red dude with some twisted back story. Actually, I'm about to talk about my English professor from this semester. I'm sure you're thinking, "Hey, Caroline, isn't it kind of rude to refer to your English professor as 'The Spawn of Satan'?" Sure, it is rude, I suppose, if I made it up.

But I didn't make it up. She did.

The first day of class she introduced herself as Dr. Owen a.k.a The Spawn of Satan, because of the amount of work all of us were about to receive during the semester. We all sat there in silence as she went briefly over our censorship-themed syllabus, (and by briefly I mean we went over the syllabus for a solid two hours).

She made it clear that our semester would consist of a never ending cycle of reading, writing and editing. It seemed like I wouldn't have a life. Before we left class, she plopped down a worksheet about MLA format and other exercises on how to conduct research and expected it to be completed within the next week or so.

"Mom, I think this woman is crazy," I cried to my mom on the phone that night. "I don't know how I am going to survive this class."

But I did. And with a good grade. And I am a better writer because of her.

Professor Owen pushed each and every one of us beyond what we thought to be our best. She never graded easily, which is a student's worst nightmare, but if she had, I wouldn't be the writer I am today. She gave the most insightful comments on every piece of writing we handed in, and even took time out of her day to have individual meetings with students if they desired extra help. Even after reading "In Cold Blood" over 10 times, she still managed to intrigue the class with her animated observations on Truman Capote's best-selling novel. There was never a day that I walked out of that class without a chuckle or new perspective. A professor who is as dedicated as Dr. Owen requires10 times more effort than any student could ever put into a class.

Thanks, Spawn of Satan.