Why having wonderful teachers is as important as having a best friend in our life

‘A teacher is like a candle- it will burn itself to help others.’

As I write this I am filled with memories of my school and college days. I am still studying but the magic of education of those days has evaporated. There have been some wonderful moments and some embarrassing ones too but the most satisfying part has been that I’ve been blessed with some of the most wonderful human beings as my teachers, mentors, guides, friends and many times they’ve been like my parents too. In fact, it’s because of their support, appreciation and guidance that I’ve been able to start this blog.

Teachers/professors are like beacons of radiance that guide us and nurture us into becoming better human beings and in the process they easily get to know about our potential. Their direction is something which hits the bulls’ eye almost every time and they affect eternity; because their few words of veneration can create a lot of difference in the lives of us students. The profession is very noble since they have to give more by way of soul, heart and to expect less by way of material gain. And yet, we see so many wonderful human beings taking up this profession and make our formative years a joy to fall back on. They shape destinies, instill self confidence, belief in their wards and create or rather ‘formulate’ miracles in the lives of their students.

And their wisdom is not just restricted to academics; their experiences on life and living help us in many ways. Some of the most best discussions that I’ve had have always been with my teacher about a particular social issue. Those discussions have always been enriching and something which you might not get it from your ‘best friend’.

And talking about my own experience with my teacher(s) I’d like to go back in time not much though. My first day in college. As I entered the campus, it was crowded with lots of people with funky hairstyles moving in here and there, soon I got to know my classroom and very reluctantly I stepped in. School was very different in more ways than one. The environment there was comforting.

But here, I found myself in a decently sized room with more than hundred other students. Feeling out of sync with the atmosphere, I was getting anxious about whether I’ll be able to survive in this sort of an environment. I took a seat amongst the last few benches as I didn’t want myself to get noticed in the class.

And then, one of the economics professors, walked into the class. There was silence in the class as she started with her usual work and then proceeded with the introduction of the class. I was very shy and did as I was asked to. She taught us micro-economics in the first year starting with the discussions about basic definitions of economics by celebrated economists like Adam Smith, Marshall and others. She explained everything very easily and I understood how economics affects our day to day life. That lecture was a pure delight. She received every response with a sense of encouragement as she told us in the beginning that she wanted us to share, to engage in discussions. I felt comfortable and as the day came to a close I was very happy about my first day at college.

As the year and the term went on, economics became more and more interesting for me and I enjoyed the depth of the subject. I kept looking forward to her next class, about the topic which we will discuss. She taught us with lots of dedication and conviction. I started sitting in the front few benches from the last benches and college was all about attending lectures to me.
Over the course of my three years of undergraduate study, my bonding with my teacher grew and blossomed. I was part of the editorial team of our college magazine in which she was the editor-in-chief during the second year. She encouraged me to think positively and express with confidence. My knowledge about the subject grew by leaps and bounds. There were a lot of qualities which I admired about her but the one which I like is that she does everything with dedication and passion.

During the college, I have been extremely lucky to have some of the most amazing teachers who have all helped me to grow but this special teacher stands out. She taught to me to explore, to expand, to spread our wings and fly. I have been very blessed to have her as my teacher, guide, mentor, friend and everything which I’ve missed out writing here. It is through my experiences that I’ve realized how much teachers contribute in a life of a human being.  

Lastly, I can say with all the conviction in the world that having a wonderful teacher is crucial in life for you may not know where her influence stops. They understand us and if we seek their guidance our life becomes a lot easier. That is why I always believe that teachers are as important as any other person in our life. They can be our best friends and our parents at the same time.