After finishing my scheduling process for the beginning of my junior year of college, I immediately stopped to think about how fast the time is passing. I have experienced so much in the past two years and I have not had a chance to thank those who have supported me. Undoubtedly, I have thanked my parents, boyfriend, friends, and other family members for all that they have done. However, I have not thanked some of the most important people: my professors.
First off, I’d like to start off by saying thank you for introducing me to the world of college. Other than my RAs, you were some of the first people that I met after leaving home. Sure, I was not a fan of the corny meet-and-greets that we had to do in class, but it really helped me to break out of my little shell and start to meet classmates. Without the ice breakers, I would have sat quietly in the second row without speaking to anyone for the entire semester, or until I was assigned a group assignments.
Speaking of group assignments, I hate to admit it, but thanks. Even though group work is the bane of my existence, it has opened my eyes to the differences between a hard-working student and a lazy student. In high school, we were given class time to complete projects like these, and they usually involved baking in some way. Then I get here, and people have real lives. Partners have children, full-time jobs, and other crazy commitments. There is no more sheltering us from the real world, and sometimes partners are awful at what they need to be doing. These assignments have helped me to become better at prioritizing my time and learning how to really communicate with groups of people even though I may not want to.
Thank you for your support through times like these. Sure, I had my family and friends to complain to about how bad my partners may have been, but I had professors like you to seek out real guidance. When I was stuck on an issue or topic, I knew that I always had to opportunity to email you or visit you during your office hours for some solid advice.
In addition, thank you for always trying your absolute best to help me succeed. It makes college much easier, knowing that your professors truly care about where we go in life. Thank you for dealing with our questions even though they are usually stupid and repetitive. You just smile and nod and continue on with the answers.
Thank you for always supporting us with our decisions. You know that college is the time for making some of the most important decisions in our lives and that it can be stressful. It is really comforting to know that someone is always there to support which direction we want to go within our major and which path we feel will fit who we are the best. Without professors like you, it would be hard to get through college stress-free. Even though it may not seem like we appreciate all the meetings we have to have with you and our advisors, it’s all an act. We need them. Professor Kenobi, you’re our only hope.
Finally, I want to thank you for continuing to challenge us day in and day out. Our schedules are booked solid, yet you keep pounding us with assignments, tests, and other things that we may think are useless now, but will (sometimes) help us in the long run. There are times when we want to pull our hair out and scream, yet all of these inconveniences are just prepping us for the real world. Sometimes life is going to throw us curveballs, and we just have to pull through and hit the home run. Thank you for always forcing us to strive for the best. Without your tenacity, some of us would not be where we are today. Going into my junior year, I know that my professors will have my back and will push me to do my absolute best in my field placement and then my career. So all in all, thank you for taking the time to treat us all with the respect and kindness that we need to succeed. You are the inspiration behind so many people’s dreams and I am eternally grateful for all that you have given me with your knowledge and commitment to teaching.
