My First Spring Term

Today is absolutely wonderful :) I haven’t remembered to be this content in a long time.

I was looking over some RateMyProfessor reviews today when I came across some for one of my current teachers. Many of the reviews were fairly negative. In fact, that is usually the case for most anthropology professors. Personally, I think its because anthropology is a fairly unorthodox way of thinking and our professors reflect that in their methods of teaching us. Most of the time non-anthropology students dislike the classes because of grading or they think that getting students to reflect on readings isn’t really teaching. 

But I think it’s brilliant. It means that most of my classes aren’t about someone teaching me facts—my classes are all about learning to really think my own ideas. Am I actually right? Or have I just done something one way my enter life without realizing it might not be as straight forward as I thought?

So when I saw those nasty reviews I couldn’t help but think, “Did you seriously just let your pride get in the way of learning what this man had to teach you?” He may not be a perfect teacher, but who is? Despite anything you don’t like about a teacher, ANY knowledge can bring you closer to God who is the source of knowledge.

I don’t ever want to waste a class again because I won’t put my pride away. I know I will run into teachers that don’t teach in a way that I connect with. But I guess what I’ve gotten out of this term is that my attitude makes all the difference. Grades are nice but doing my best is all the success I need. Having a fabulous teacher is nice but in the end its kind of my own fault if I don’t learn anything.

I’m grateful for my first spring term at BYU. I look around and I realize that I am so extremely blessed to be going to this school. Have you seen the mountains here? Or the sunsets? Or the thousands of students willing to help each other out? Or felt the Spirit that never goes away?

I can’t live here forever. But I know when I’m gone I will look back and treasure every moment. I’m sure I’ll also wish that I could have seen, every day, how lucky I am.

Stéf