The one who asked everyone to introduce themselves… in 3 languages.
THE ONE WHO ASKED EVERYONE TO INTRODUCE THEMSELVES… IN 3 LANGUAGES.
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That first day. The air in the lecture hall crackled with a unique blend of nervous energy and brilliant anticipation. We were all there, a carefully curated cohort, ready for the intellectual deep dive. Then the professor walked in. Not a renowned scholar with a Nobel pedigree perhaps, but certainly an oddball in the making, whose first decree set the tone for the entire semester.
Before any syllabus review or course expectations, came the curveball. "Alright everyone," they announced, a mischievous glint in their eye, "Let's go around the room. Name, major, where you're from. And, just for fun, introduce yourselves in three different languages."
A collective, silent gasp rippled through the room. The polite smiles of greeting faltered, replaced by bewildered grins and a quiet, frantic internal scramble. My mind raced: "Is this a test? My Spanish is rusty. Do I even know three languages well enough?" The immediate thought wasn't about the curriculum, but about the unexpected, delightful discomfort.
As the introductions began, the initial apprehension gave way to a surprising symphony of linguistic attempts. Faltering German mixed with confident Mandarin, tentative French alongside fluent Swahili. It wasn't about perfection; it was about shared vulnerability. We stumbled, we laughed, and in those shared moments of linguistic gymnastics, the usual first-day barriers crumbled.
That professor, with one seemingly quirky request, didn't just break the ice; they shattered it. They forced us out of our neatly prepared boxes, not with a demanding lecture, but with a simple, human challenge. It became a defining "professor moment," a story we’d recount, less about the subject matter and more about the diverse brilliance and unexpected challenges that truly defined our time there. These are the life lessons that stick.
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