But sometimes, good people forget to give thanks in the moment. While working at Leaf and Ladle in West End, a girl ordered a Greek salad and chatted me up about how “outrageously excited” she was to devour the thing.
Although she never directly said “thanks,” I was more than happy to help this girl out because she was giddy about the food. For a minute there, I felt like less of a student wage employee and more like a Top Chef.
While speaking to my good friend Tracy — a French instructor here — about this issue, she also had some insight.
Though she has had few students who have explicitly thanked her for being awesome (and she is), Tracy revealed that she feels gratitude from students even when they simply ask if she’ll be teaching a different section of French.
“I know I’m doing a good job when they ask me this,” Tracy told me. “They don’t have to say thanks.”
And although she may not need any affirmation of her teaching skills, we college students do have someone we especially need to thank: our parents.
I’ve realized that throughout the years, I’ve never thanked my parents for a lot of the things they’ve given me — and probably a lot of kids are in the same boat.
How many times have you thanked your parents for paying tuition?
For bailing you out of the mire of your overdrawn checking account?
For letting you make decisions as an adult?
For spring break, I’m spending the week with my parents (whom I see usually only twice a year), and I’m finally going to thank them for all my crap they’ve had to deal with. From consoling me about breakups to paying for medical bills to letting my friends have a free stay in Hilton Head – my parents have been better than the best.
So the next time you receive your London broil from a dining services worker, meet with your professor or talk to your parents on the phone, make sure to prove you’re nice — tell them “thanks,” because it’s better to speak up than have your gratitude go unnoticed.
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One of the best stories here in a long time! As someone who grew up in New Jersey, where chivalry is well documented as having died in the 17th century, I distinctly recall arriving here in 1999 for my first semester and being pleasantly surprised by how kind the total strangers on this campus can be. How about those old narrow doors on the McBryde entrances? What a pain! But I doubt they ever swung shut during class change; however, as everyone was always courteous enough to hand it off to the next frightened freshman. Cheers to those who have kept up that generosity for the ten years since I moved here!
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I enjoyed reading this. Many of us who are only wishing we were still in school are quick to note the decline of politeness, common sense or (insert other positive quality here) in recent years, but I do think VT manages to cling to a pretty positive and supportive overall campus environment. I don't think that can be said about all college environments, especially ones of this size. It's nice to see some dialogue that recognizes and promotes positive behavior "just because." It's easy to do something positive as a means to achieve some sort of goal, but true character is measured not by how you treat people in positions of power (your boss, professor, etc.), but how you treat those who have no power over you (janitor, fellow students, etc.).
Anyway, kudos to the CT for adding some substance to a light Friday read.
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