How much would you appreciate a final chat?
Howdy, I’d like to ask something. Is it really as uncommon as it looks for students to not really treat you like fellow people?
I am a computer engineer junior, and have taken two courses with probably my favorite professor I’ve ever had and will ever have. During the two courses I was the only student to ever interact with him during class and ask plenty of questions, I’d go to his office and ask him things I was curious about, and help struggling students in his office when there were too many, because I got very good at his content.
I found out a while ago he was retiring, and this semester that just ended was his last. Before I went home for the summer I asked to meet with him just one last time, and we just talked for 2+ hours, about everything, looking back on his career, hearing his story of everywhere he taught and how he felt, some technical topics sprinkled in. We only stopped because he had to go. We talked almost like friends, with clearly a lot of respect between us. At one point I shed some tears as I told him I hope he understands he will always come to mind when I want to do better as an educator, and I’m never going to forget him (I am a TA and want to be a professor of practice some day).
He’s the kind to not show a ton of emotion like me, I don’t really have a sense of how much he appreciated my gesture. Is it very uncommon for students to do this? Would you appreciate this a lot as a professor? I’m just wondering, and also just kind of wanted to vent since I’m a little sad about him leaving.