Oh really? I had no idea!

It's been one of those weeks where everyone around me has decided to stop dedicating even the mediocre amount of energy they may or may not have put into their work previously and is now just resigning themselves completely from being any help to me at all.  In case you didn't know, I love it when that happens.  Furthermore, I got one of my favorite statements today: "You just don't understand what it's like to be a student....it's really hard work."  Oh really?  I had no idea!  I miraculously skipped the 23 years of education it takes to get to my place in life.  I'm a miracle child.....I didn't have to go to college.  I learned Italian, how to teach, and everything else that resides in my brain without school.  I just woke up one morning and I was suddenly an expert at all things italiano.  I mean, I'm a pretty big deal.  The E! channel will be doing a special on me shortly.

Dear student: you have very nicely just demonstrated an idiot moment.  If you think, for even a second, that I have it (yes, present tense, I am still a student, which means not only do I work full time (read 60-80 hours a week) figuring out how to talk in a manner that you can absorb, but I also do my own work) any easier than you, you should probably just give up on life all together right this very moment.  Do you really think that because I went to college in the year 2000 that things were easier?  Perhaps you haven't listened to any media source in the last few years, but our educational system is currently failing you.  It gives you the false sense that college is for everyone, anyone can graduate, and that it's easy.  It may be that way, but it shouldn't be.  You, my dear student, are spoiled by having me as a teacher.  I make myself available, I teach in a manner you can understand, I stop to ask if you're understanding me when I talk, and I give you the skills to learn on your own through directed readings.  Do you think I got that?  Kinda, sorta, maybe from some professors.....but really, and yes, people will lie about this, you learn to teach from the bad teachers.  Rarely do we actually mirror ourselves after good teachers.  More often we try to oppose those unfortunate teachers who really can't teach.

Perhaps you're not familiar with the American education system, so here are a few updates:
1.  One must finish high school to be accepted into college.  I went to college, so yes, I did have to work my way through high school, just as you did.
2.  One must actually complete two separate fields of study to earn a double bachelor's degree.  I, indeed, have a double bachelor's.  Yes, I in fact did complete two completely separate courses of study; one in Italian and one in Classics.  And if that's not enough for you I actually got in trouble for taking TOO MANY HOURS as an undergrad because as a college athlete I was gifted some hours which I very politely regifted back to the university.
3.  One must complete an undergraduate degree to be admitted into a masters program.  Surprise!  I was admitted to a masters program!!!
4.  One must complete a masters program to be admitted to a doctoral program.  You'll never guess.....YES, I was admitted to a doctoral program!
5.  One must complete that doctoral program, including the successful writing of a dissertation, successful publication of scholarly articles, editing and rewriting of current textbooks, presentation of current research at scholarly conferences, and the like to become a doctor.  Guess what I'll be in May?
6.  To be hired into a full time teaching job, one must work with colleagues, build a successful language program, not lose any students to death or other events on study abroad, contribute to the administrative success of a university, etc.  I know this will surprise you, but I have a full time teaching job.

So, my dear students, think again before you try and tell me that I just don't understand what you're going through.  Been there, done that, did it with heels on, and I still look really darn good.  I invite you to come spend a week in my shoes, do everything I do, wear my five inch heels everyday, and then tell me that your life is harder than mine.  I think you'll see that I work just as hard as you do!

The moral of the story is:  Get over yourselves, you're not that special.  Life is hard, it sucks sometimes, and no one will shed a tear for you about that.  Instead, suck it up, put on your big girl panties, and plow ahead at full speed.