A Toast to Mentors

To me, a true teacher first and foremost has a genuine concern for his students (a prerequisite to and implies the ability to inspire). Proficiency is secondary. A great teacher, however, has a glass-brimming-full of both.

Sir A is that kind of teacher. He cares, gives a shit, inspires and all that. I honestly respect him to the highest level. I was (am still) having confidence lows about my thesis and he IMed me and gave me perspective. He’s busy with his own PhD thesis but he had no qualms about being my MS advisor (alas, a higher power had qualms about it, natch). He’s now just a panelist in my thesis, but given the degree he’s encouraging me and lifting my spirits, it’s as if he were my adviser in all but name.

Sir A is also all kinds of proficient in CS. It’s amazing how he can take a theory-intensive subject like grad-level Computer Architecture and parse it such that it’s fun to learn (believe me, a CS core subject is normally a snooze fest) and makes sense to even a little kid (his poor niece).

This post is a toast to great teachers like Sir A. I’m feeling so drifty and alone in the project I’m undertaking but Sir A reminds me I’m not. He taught me two core courses in a row the past year and I look up to him in the highest level possible. (He’s up there with Fr. Denny, my college prof, in the category of “best teachers in the world”.)

This world needs more teachers like Sir A (and Fr D.). 🙂

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Reason for this post: (stop reading if you don’t wanna hear me rant and whine.)

I am supposed to be working on my thesis proposal. I’m due to defend it in two weeks. But I’m blogging. I’m procrastinating, as always. That’s because I feel bad.

I feel really, really, really discouraged right now. I blog about happy things to pretend I’m not feeling so down. But my shoulders are drooping so low I must look (figuratively) hunchbacked right now.

Wanted Sir A to be my advisor, but like I said, it didn’t happen even if he was up for it. I got an advisor assigned to me, and I don’t even know this person. What if I don’t like him? What if he doesn’t like me? What if he’s not coddling type???

I need a cheerleader most of all, I think. I’m so scared right now I won’t be able to do my thesis. Scared it’s gonna be rejected. Scared it’s not gonna get published. Scared it’s not gonna be the best possible project I can make it.

Scared, scared, scared. Hay. 🙁

I just want this thesis over with ASAP. 🙁

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