Things to Appreciate

There’s nothing quite like seeing one of your former students give a seminar to current students, especially when she does a great job. She is now a graduate student with a friend and colleague. I was able to help put those two together in what has been a good collaboration. I am proud of that! The colleague gave the other half of the seminar. He always does a good job; I enjoy his talks. About half my current students were in attendance.

It was fantastic to see my current students asking tons of questions in the seminar tonight. #1 thing I want to help give them is the courage to ask their questions. Okay. I can’t give them courage. I want them to know they have my approval and encouragement for asking their questions. That, perhaps, I have managed to do.

I really was lucky last year in all the things my students accomplished. I was really lucky in having two of my students come with me to MathFest last August. It was so much fun to seeing the world through their eyes.

Sometimes things work out really well, and when they do, you should treasure it. Because there are plenty of times when they aren’t going to work out so well, and you are going to have to use the emotional fuel you are storing to get through it.

I hope I get to bring some of this year’s students with me to MathFest again. I know, I know, it won’t be quite the same as that first time, but I hold out hope that it will be nearly as much fun.