I began a new semester of teaching at a local state college this week. It’s the first time I have been associated with this college so I didn’t know what to expect when my first class filtered into the room. I was at a distinct disadvantage because I never went to college after high school but did it in the Army so my classmates were usually much older. These were children!
Before moving back to Georgia, I taught at the University of West Florida, but my students were usually juniors and seniors and some adults, so they were older and had some idea of where they were or where they were going in life. On the first day of class I always tell them what is expected of them, and ask a little about them. This time I was not prepared.
“Let’s go around the room and tell me your name and what your major is or what you want to get out of college.” I thought it was a good idea. “I’m Barney Bazotz and I’m going to be an engineer.” Time for some humor, right? “Like on a train?” Met with complete and sincere stare. “Huh?” “You know. The engineer…guy that drives a train?” Blank look. Let’s move on.
“Hi, I’m Suzy Cutesy and I’m a fashion design major.” The fashion design major was wearing a pair of blue jeans that looked like they had been run through a hay bailer. Several times. I have more fabric on a handkerchief than she had on her body. “Uh, I didn’t know they have that as a major here.” A squeal of valley girl laughter. “They don’t. I’ll do that someplace else. I just want to get all of the bad stuff out of the way first.” Bad Stuff? My class? Stand by for a ram!
I finished going around the class and found out I have future advertising executives, nurses, biologist, captains of industry, a couple of undecideds and a weatherman. The undecided’s I can relate to. I think I have gone through life making a list of things I don’t want to be when I grow up.
I have no problem with my students having a goal in life, as a matter of fact, I admire and envy them for doing so especially at that age. For those of you who happen to read this and knew me at the time, know the only thing I wanted out of high school was ME. I planned to go to work and await the letter that most men of my age got saying our services were needed by Uncle Sam. With a draft hanging over our heads, unless we went to college, maintained a good average or got married and had children, long range plans were not something we made.
I hope everyone in my class is able to fulfill their life goal at some point. I don’t think they will keep the plans they made to me this week. Life has a way of getting in the way of the plans we make, especially if those plans are to take place in the future.
Someone left a brochure for a job fair in the classroom so I’m going to check it out and see if there are any openings for rodeo clowns. That’s something I always wanted to be when I grow up.
“With a draft hanging over our heads, unless we went to college, maintained a good average or got married and had children, long range plans were not something we made.” Wow that comment hit the mark and really made me stop and think! I guess since I was younger and a female, I didn’t really think about it at the time. When you were getting out of high school, the biggest worry I think I had was trying to figure out how to avoid the horrible mashed potatoes they served in the cafeteria at Neely. Maybe we were shielded as kids but until you went to Vietnam I doubt I spent any time at all thinking about it. Of course as I grew older the realities of life and war became more obvious. And for the record when I was younger I wasn’t sure what I wanted to be when I grew up. I used to think I wanted to be a nurse but that was most likely because of watching General Hospital with Mama Waller.
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