The Waiting Room

The student I wrote about in the previous post emailed me yesterday. She thanked me for supporting her during her time at the college and pushing her to do her best. In the end, she wrote, it was her responsibility to do what needed to be done. She also apologized for letting me down, but she said that what was worse was that she let herself down. She made choices that, in the end, were her downfall.  She said that was going to finish the term (We are finished on 12/21) because she wants to complete what she started. She said that when I told her that the knowledge she gained was hers and no one could take it away from her, had a very profound effect on her. She plans to continue her education in an online program at another college.

Wow. (And, in a good way).

I am so glad that she is going to finish the term. I really think that it will be a good thing for her to do.  Too often, people want to cut and run rather than stick it out. Many of the students in the demographic I teach have done that all their lives. No one has ever asked them to step up and accept their fate. Someone has always caved in and let them ride. Or, if someone has tried to make the person accountable, it was more of a dressing down, rather than a real conversation that has the student really focus on what he or she did.

I have some thoughts on this, which I will post later. Right now, I am just too sick with this stupid cold to have a coherent thought.

In the end, I am feeling better about the situation (although, I do have a nasty cold). I know I did the right thing and I am very pleased with the way I presented it to the student.  I think she truly took my words to heart. Choices are neither right or wrong. They just are what they are...choices. But, when we do choose, we also have to accept what comes with that choice. And sometimes, the consequence can be very painful.

I guess that's why they call it life. If it were easy, they would call it something else.