#2: My students

I'm taking a brief break from my native language of Sarcasm on this post, and practicing my talking-like-a-normal-human skills.

I love my students.  So much.  They're in this cool place where they still respect authority more than they should, so much that the things that I say to them are regarded as "legitimate."  And while I certainly want to encourage their willingness to challenge things, I'm also in a position where I can just tell them that something is right or wrong - and they believe me!

I know, it sounds like I'm power tripping.  And I won't lie, I enjoy the occasional power trip, which I blame on my Napoleon complex.  But in all seriousness, those of us who are regarded as authorities can have an amazing impact on those people who for some reason, respect us.

I had a long chat with one of my favorite students tonight, a socially and politically aware Senior who struggles sometimes to interact with many of her peers who aren't as bright or invested in humanity.  I counseled her and de-bunked the myths taught to her by her academic advisor.  Um, who the fuck are you to tell a person with dreams of changing the world that she shouldn't waste her time in an Education Master's program? And, I've tried to bring this student back to reality more than once - telling her she can't carry the burden of the world on her shoulders, she can't fix everything by herself, etc. etc. - because I don't want to see her burnout quickly.

But I realized tonight what's more effective - treating her as a peer in our mutual aspirations of promoting social justice, and using each other as sounding boards/safe places to vent.   We all need an outlet (says my therapist), and I think my student and I both discovered tonight that even having each other to vent to re-energizes us to take on the world.  And, hearing someone intelligent - and as jaded as me gather up the emotional energy to go back out and keep challenging things - restores my faith in humanity a little bit.

In my Women in Higher Ed class in the spring we talked about the importance of mentors and role models.  And it's true - without having adequate representation of a group in leadership positions, it's hard to imagine oneself as able to become that leader.   And so, tonight I renewed my commitment to be a mentor for students who are invested in social justice, who so easily can be disillusioned by the seemingly insurmountable tasks ahead of them.