Made A Depression Impression

(After two years at one school, I’ve decided to transfer to one closer to my house so I can have a shorter commute. One of the teachers who wrote my recommendation for the new school approaches me after class one day.)

Teacher: “I wanted to give you my contact information, since I’m leaving the school as well this year. If you ever want a college recommendation, please call me.”

Me: “Thank you! I will!”

(I’m especially touched by this because for the first half of freshman year, I couldn’t figure out what she wanted in a paper. It took until my paper in the middle of December for me to get an A and after that, I got an A on every one of my papers. She is also the only teacher who looked at my social behavior and suggested that I had clinical depression. The rest just told my parents that I was unlikable. Fast forward two years…)

Me: “I was hoping you could write me a recommendation, since you were my favorite teacher.”

Teacher: “Of course! Just give me the names and addresses where you want it sent.”

(A couple of months later, I got into my first-choice school. The admissions officer that we had met mentioned that it was thanks to my personal essay on depression and the teacher’s recommendation. The teacher had left the school to teach at Harvard and got me into college by saying that I was the most talented writer she’d ever taught and if that school didn’t want me, she wanted me to apply to Harvard instead!)