memories...

It's interesting--we "veteran" tutors expressed all the same doubts and fears. We're all still here. It's funny how it seems to happen. Someone comes in needing help and all the other tutors are busy, so you gather your nerve and offer to take the session, and sit down nervous and sure of screwing up...and then that part of you that knows and loves writing kicks in and it's the easiest thing in the world. It still seems to take about a month to stop cringing when a person with a paper in hand appears in the doorway.

Tell you what, though. It sure feels nice when someone you don't even remember announces his (or her) grade to you and says thank you. Last Christmas, the lady who used to intimidate me the most at the financial aid window made me peanut clusters to say thank you for my help. Now she's illustrating a children's book I wrote.

For a veteran, I'm an awfully lot of a beginner still. This student came in wanting to know how to write a formal research proposal. I don't know! So I told her I didn't know. Then I started looking for resources to help. I may not be able to teach her to write one, but I can point her to the information and then make sure it makes sense after she writes it. Sometimes I have to remind myself that I don't have to know the student's subject, as long as I know mine.