Surprise Supporters.

Those that go to Melbourne Uni know what lecturers there are like.

Wait, take that back. I'll just speak from an engineering student's point of view. Not sure what other courses are like, but in engineering, lectures have 150-200 students, lecturers just go in, give their 50 minute spiel three times a week, and then go out. You are lucky if they reply your email or are not rushing you out everytime you go see them for help. I'm not complaining though. I completely understand. If you have 500+ students, you don't have time to deal with everyone's issues.

I have this lecturer at uni that doesn't really fall into the norm, though. Middle of this semester, he came up to me and asked what my name was. Apparently he felt that I had a "good understanding of things". How he gathered this, I have no idea. I was asleep in the lectures more often than I was awake, and was silent in most tute classes.

He then proceeded to ask me what my average mark was. I told him, and from his response, I had the feeling that he expected something higher. He then asked me how I was going with the subject. I had been finding the subject ok, comparatively, anyway. Finally, he said that if I needed help with anything, or had anything at all I wanted to talk to him about, to go to him.

Perhaps he says that to a lot of students. Perhaps he doesn't. But the point is, it was support.

After that I did go see him a number of times. Sometimes related to the lectures. Sometimes not. Everytime, it was like a confidence booster.

Met with him again today. He remembered the mark I got for the assignment. Find that pretty amazing, as the class has 200 people. He said he would've been surprised if I had gotten any less.

Unfortunately, I will likely disappoint him in the exam tomorrow. But that's ok, not worried about that. I'm sure he's not really going to be that disappointed. I'm sure he says these things to a lot of his students. Nevertheless, I still I appreciate it. Will write to him in a few week's time to thank him.

Surprise supporters.

Supporters of any sort.

Means a lot.