That One Teacher

1. Don't drink too much caffeine while writing a paper.  You won't sleep even when you're done.
2. Just because someone has a differing opinion, does not mean they're attacking yours.
3.Sometimes people throw banana peels at you.
4. You are your own best advocate.

Hey hey, Megan here, Happy Wednesday again!  The school year's winding down and it's getting super scary.  I just turned in my final Psych paper today.  Yikes.

It seems I have been having a lot of conversations or little moments of insight surrounding the teachers in my life, both academic and otherwise.  Shout out to Amy, since I know she'll read this and know what I'm talking about. I honestly hope every single one of you can think back and remember one really influential teacher in your life, someone who has influenced you profoundly, who helped you find yourself, or at least perhaps started you down that path.

I know for me this was my poetry teacher during my Junior year of high school.  I was just coming off of one of the roughest summers of my life and was still struggling to cope with the death of my aunt who lost her fight with pancreatic cancer at age 52.  I had dabbled in poetry ever since I was a freshman and as I was registering for classes at the end of my sophomore year, I was considering a career in political science. I kind of wanted to take Advanced Public Speaking, but ended up taking a chance on and dropping it, picking up Poetry Writing instead.

I'm really glad I did, because that course ended up changing my life, and continues to have a huge effect as I start my English Writing minor next fall (with a poetry emphasis.)  That teacher (who I hope will find this and read it) supported and encouraged me to write, not what felt poetic or appealing, but what I was really feeling and experiencing.  She taught me to use my own voice, and was the first real person to give me positive feedback to the point where I actually felt what I was doing was worth while. Her big thing was always "Tell your story." Looking back, I am so, so grateful for having known her, and that we continue to stay in contact. I have returned twice now to speak to classes of hers.

This teacher has always treated me with respect, it's as if she took the opportunity to learn from me as much as I took the opportunity to learn from her--she's a wonderful poet herself.  She taught me to use always use my voice, and that's a lesson I still remember and try to keep close.  The other week, my friend told me to be an advocate and I felt almost offended at the idea.  How dare someone assume that's my job? After pondering it for a few days, I realized that I really was my own best advocate. I consider myself an advocate for so many other people that it only made sense that I should be willing to represent myself as well.  I kind of had no choice in the matter. We are all our own best advocates, and as long as I have a voice that I'm willing to use, I am called upon to use it.

I will always remember my poetry teacher and the impact she had and continues to have on me.  I hope everyone has a similar story they can look back fondly upon, and if that's not the case yet, I think it will be.  Take a second to think about and appreciate the teachers in your life.  They deserve so much respect for having the willingness to impart their knowledge and wisdom.

All my love,

Megan