I used to have a feature on my blog where I would write reflections of things that I have observed in specific spaces of time. This observation is one from my perspective as a student for the last six years.

My father asked me today what I wanted to do when I was done with my Music Business programme; he asked if I wanted to teach. After a second of serious thought, I responded with a VERY emphatic no. I have MASSIVE respect for the professors that I have had over the last 6 years. I learned something from all of them, even the horrendous and banal ones. The most important lessons included that I am worthy of my own time; I did not need to pay attention to class disruptions by other students, or to take on the problems of others. The main lesson learned during my stint as a student in higher academia is to set the construct of bias aside and comprehend the integral aspect that stories have more than one optic, and the infinite shades of grey that make themselves present throughout life. There are very distinctive ethical boundaries within the concept of black and white in the sense of what is to be expected and the manners of behaviours that evolve when those expectations are tossed out of every single window in a high-rise building.

I was raised to always be respectful to my teachers/professors; however, when they were wrong, my mouth opened so quickly that it induced many a tongue lashing growing up. I dished out apologies to teachers or professors who were arrogantly incorrect and never budged.

I have always felt that as a student, we need to advocate for ourselves, but is that the same case when it is advocating against other students who mistreat professors? I think the answer to that is fuck yes. The moment we enter the “hallowed halls of academia,” we are offered a narrative where critical thinking should start to ensue, where patience is executed, and the knowledge of our professors is downloaded into our brains. The entire purpose of education is to allow our minds to wander in an exceptionally safe space, to share ideas and reflect critically on how we as humans can take those lessons that we were so graciously given and nourish ourselves as that grows into future careers and interactions.

My initial plan returning to school in 2020 has morphed into something that I did not expect; that is because I had a handful of professors who took the time to understand that, as a student, I demand perfection from myself that has been overcriticised by some of these professors and mentors; however, they listened to what I wanted and understood my need for perfection. I wish I could share some of the things that were told to me in confidence, that currently have me laughing in my office as I write this. (Most of those things would either make you giggle, be completely shocked, or just cry.)

It really does come down to ourselves and what kind of students we are going to be, a disruption or one that decides to learn to adapt and solidify instruction within our minds to bring it to those we work with once the classroom discussions and lectures end.