This. With more snot.
After teaching for nearly ten years and working with thousands of students it is inevitable that I run into them from time to time as I am going about my daily business. Generally, it’s a relatively painless experience- they either say hello and stop for a chat, look past me as if I’m not there and carry on walking, and the odd few will ignore me yet feel the need to shout my name out at me from a distance. The name-shouting is something that has always baffled me – I must give the impression that I regularly need reminding of what my name is – but I generally ignore it until I’m ready to leave, shoot them my nastiest teacher expression and walk away. I don’t teach anymore, therefore I don’t need to pretend to like any of the little cherubs who wish to cause trouble when they see me like I had to before.
Yesterday, however, was a new experience. I went to the hospital to have some minor tests done. After the Great Arm Massacre of 2014 during my week-long hospital stay I’m not good with needles or injections, and so I tried to brace myself and remain as calm as possible when I was called in.
My nurse, as lovely as she was, couldn’t find a vein and made several attempts to draw blood across my hand and arm, to no avail. She was very young, obviously still training and doing her absolute best to keep me calm and distracted by asking me questions, bless her, but it’s quite difficult to be able to focus on a conversation with someone about my pets when they’re trying (and failing) to deliberately make you bleed. Eventually, after my ears started to ring I began to panic, lost my sh*t and burst into tears. Not the poetic, single drop of water down the cheek that you see in the movies mind you, more the avalanche of ugly crying out loud with accompanying snot.
Gorgeous.
The nurse eventually left, only to then be replaced by another nurse… who happened to be an ex-student.
She was one of those students that you wished you could teach all day, every day. Fun, friendly, bubbly and hard-working, she approached me with the same smile as she used to at school and I was immediately mortified – there’s nothing more embarrassing than sitting there with tears and snot running down your face, while being confronted with ‘Hello, Miss!’… It’s such a strange experience – even after not seeing her for several years and no longer being in the teacher/student relationship I immediately sat up and pulled myself together as you’re not supposed to project any personal feelings in front of the kids.
She wasn’t able to draw any blood either… but it was nice to see that she is doing so well for herself, and at least I managed to hold it together after that!
I’ve always wondered where a lot of my ex-students end up after they have finished their exams. Now I know: my local hospital. They’re everywhere – nurses, cleaners, working in the cafes… I became quite self-conscious that I was in my sweats and looking like total crap by the fourth time that I recognised someone. Thank goodness that it was only a blood test I needed or it could have been a little awkward…
Luckily, the doctor who saw me afterwards was able to get the sample with relatively pain-free ease (and everything is all-clear and fine), but it got me thinking:
If ever I’m scared or upset in the future I now have the solution – find an ex-student that I respect and make them stand in front of me to trigger teacher mode and get myself together.
What about you guys? Is there something that immediately makes you sit up and pull yourself together even when the tears are streaming?
Suzie Speaks 
when my kids are around, I act a lot more strong and do the ‘Mom’ thing. I hope you are okay, ❤
I’m good thanks – i suppose it’s the same situation as teaching, you instantly become the strong one even when they’re adults!
that’s for certain!!
That must be a pretty strange and rewarding experience all rolled into one. Not wishing to tempt fate I don’t tend to lose my shit and I’m not sure if I did what could get me out of it.
i would say the strange outweighed the rewarding on this one, but I’m pleased she’s doing well for herself haha!
That all you want at the end of the day I guess, but it’s the fact you had a significant role in that person’s upbringing that must hit home really.
It should – there’s been a few occasions where I’ve had that revelation – but perhaps I’ll have more as they get older
Thank goodness it was one of the good kids, not someone you used to have to tell off in class!! :O
Yeah I can imagine the bruises would have been much bigger haha!
Ex pupils… They’re everywhere!!!
Oh my gosh yes they are haha!
Seeing mine is an eye opener as I knew them from 3-11… As adults… That is just scary!
I can imagine haha!
I’m so sorry, nothing good about being a pin cushion 🙂
Haha! Thanks – I’m currently going by the name of Bruisy Suzie haha!
I can relate to being poked in so many places by nurses trying to draw blood. I developed a phobia of needles for awhile after that.
As for “something that immediately makes you sit up and pull yourself together even when the tears are streaming,” chocolate, cake, or ice cream will usually do it for me because I can’t cry and eat at the same time.
Haha! I love that! i totally need to adopt that in the future – if i need to cry i’ll get some cake!
It always makes me feel better. 🙂
Since I am a former US Marine and Vietnam combat vet, you’d think I could keep the tears from streaming. But when my daughter was still a child and we went to a film that had a sappy scene, she’d always lean out to see past her mother and look at me in the dark theater to see if the tears were flowing and they usually were. I could see her doing it, and I always tried to stifle the tears and pretend I wasn’t shedding them.
But I couldn’t fool her, and she’d smile a knowing grin that I thought said, “He isn’t the hard ass he wants everyone to think he is.”
After the film, Lauryann always reminded me that she’d seen the tears and rubbed it in. I’d grumble. She’s 26 now and had her first child last November 11th, but I’m sure if we ever share a film together again and my tears crack the dam again, she’d take a look to see them flowing and smile.
Awwww thats so sweet Lloyd!
Not a fan of blood tests!! Glad all went okay xx I find that my own kids have that effect on me. I’ll pull myself together sharpish so they don’t have to see me upset. Unless it’s a sad film I’m watching and then I wail loudly and they just laugh at me!!
Awww haha! It’s amazing how you switch into that as a mum even though your babies are pretty much adults!
Every so often I’m contacted via different social media sites, by former students. I love to hear how well they’re doing. I had one a couple of months ago who said, “Before we talk, I just want to tell you something that’s been bothering me for years. I’m sorry I was such a shit in your class.” I was shocked and told him that he wasn’t, that all I remembered was that he was intelligent and kind to the other students. He seemed so relieved:-)
Awww that’s so lovely! I keep in touch with some of my former students (they’re all adults now) and I very occasionally meet up with some of the older ones (some of whom have kids now) for a catch up. I’ve had the odd message though through FB from ex students which has always made my day! It’s amazimg to find out that their perceptions were totally different from what I assumed