A Simple Thank You

Hi Friends!

Well, it's official, my first semester as an Adjunct Professor is over.

I submitted my final grades last night.

And while I will miss this group of students a whole big bunch, I can honestly say they are ready to move on. They'll go on to be outstanding nurses, law enforcement officers, and administrative assistants. They'll work in hotels, assisted living centers, and fisheries. You know what they won't be doing in any of those places? Identifying gerunds and adjectives and adverbs. Not a single one of them has aspirations to be a writer. But every single one of them can write. They had so much to say this semester and no problem saying it in writing. They wrote about abortion, and their strained relationships with their parents, and getting pregnant at 16. They wrote about how much they loved their grandmas, their children, and their spouse. They taught me how to change my oil, brew a perfect cup of tea, and install a thumpin' stereo system in my car. And while they might have come in a little miffed about having to take my class, they worked hard, anyway. They showed up for class, every single time. They learned about "autos" and "turkeys" and "fish". They teased me like crazy and were never afraid to argue their points. They played silly icebreaker games and baked each other birthday cakes. They were happy for the person whose paper was used as a good example. They worried when someone missed more than one class. Is this normal? I don't think so. I don't remember ever baking a cake for any of my classmates or paying attention to whether or not someone missed two classes in a row. And I certainly didn't have half, heck, even a fraction of the outside pressure that my students have to deal with every day: work, marriage, kids, car troubles, finances. I have the utmost respect for those who are juggling real life and college. It can't be easy.

Last week some of my students brought me gifts and thank you cards. I'm not going to lie, I got a little choked up; work, marriage, kids, bills, finances, and they still thought to thank their Intro to College Writing teacher. I will never forget my first class of FVTC students. I wish them nothing but all of life's very best.

XO,

Vicki