(I’ve just finished a two-month internship in a mixed preschool/elementary group. The kids and teachers are wonderful, but there have been a few serious incidents within the group. Even though I’ve been stressed to the point of nosebleeds, I’m happy to assist the teachers even after my internship has finished. I’m feeling quite harassed this early morning as we’re walking with the six year olds to the local library, but I still walk with a troubled boy who’s also had a rough couple of weeks. We’re passing an apartment complex where a few men are spring-cleaning the grass with leaf blowers.)

Little Boy: “What are they doing [My Name]?”

Me: “They’re cleaning the leaves away.”

Little Boy: “Why?”

Me: “So the lawn will look pretty.”

Little Boy: “Why?”

Me: “So that it’s nice and ready for spring.”

Little Boy: “Why?”

Me: “That’s when all the flowers come out.”

Little Boy: “Why do people want flowers out?”

Me: “Because they’re beautiful.”

Little Boy: “Just like you, [My Name]!”

(All the stress is forgotten.)

(I am a student teacher observing my mentor teacher walk her class through a lab sheet. As part of the class requirements, we are going over rocks and minerals, and how to identify them by the color of their residue.)

Mentor Teacher: *examines the response that Student #1 has written* “[Student #1], could I please borrow your sheet?”

(Student #1 passes their sheet to the mentor teacher.)

Mentor Teacher: *holds up sheet and indicates one of the questions* “For this section, please make sure to emphasize that when you use the plate to obtain the residue, that this is the mineral streaking test, instead of writing something like: ‘In [Mentor Teacher]’s class, [Student #2] and I streaked.'”

(A brief moment of silence occurs as everyone processes what [Student #1] has written. In the following moment, the class bursts into laughter in unison.)

(I am in world religions class. Our professor is explaining how one religion relates spirituality to the Earth, and decides to use an example she figures most of us will know.)

Professor: “You know how in The Lion King, when Scar takes over, everything becomes dry and barren and there’s no more food? And then when Simba comes back, it starts to rain and everything grows again? It’s sort of like that. Evil brings evil, and good brings good.”

Student #1: “Huh, I always just thought The Lion King was trying to be Hamlet.”

Student #2: “How is it like Hamlet?”

Me: “Well, it centers around a prince, his father is killed, he finds out it was his uncle who did it, and then he goes back to avenge his father.”

Student #2: “That’s not Hamlet. That’s nothing like Hamlet!”

(I am an exchange student, attending one of my very first lessons. I am alone in the classroom a while before the class starts, and I turn to the closest of the few other students that has arrived.)

Me: “Excuse me, do you know the password for the school network? I’ve never used it before.”

Student: *arrogant tone* “Hah, well that’s just typical of you exchange students. It’s so simple; how can you not manage to log in?”

Me: “Well, I found the network and everything; I just don’t know the password. Never mind, I’ll just ask someone else.”

Student: “No, alright, I’ll give it to you. But seriously, how do you expect to pass any of your classes if you can’t even handle a simple thing like a computer?”

(At this point, I am getting very annoyed and upset by his tone, but since I really need to log in, I try to ignore it.)

Me: “Could you just tell me the password, please?”

Student: “Right. It is ‘2012,’ and then three random letters, [letters]. See? Not that hard at all. I don’t know how you could mess it up.”

Me: “Okay, ‘2012[letters]’ right?”

Student: “Yeah, I don’t really know what the letters are supposed to be, they are always the same but the numbers change every year. I guess they just have really bad imagination.”

Me: “The letters are the initials of this university; that might have something to do with it.”

Student: “Eh… yeah. I… never thought about that.”

(The student is very friendly to me the rest of the semester!)

(It is 1998, when candy-colored iMac computers are popular. I have just gotten a lime green one for Christmas, and am setting it up for dial-up internet access in the dorm.)

Roommate: “What kind of Windows is that? It looks different from mine.”

Me: “It’s not Windows. It’s Mac OS 9.”

Roommate: “Don’t be silly. You can’t run a computer without a Windows.”

Me: “Ooookay, then.”

Roommate: “You know, I just changed my major to computer science, so let me know if you need any help!”

(She dropped out about six weeks later.)