Have you ever known someone you wanted so bad to dislike, but they only give you reasons to like them? I have a professor like that. He is teaching my capstone class (senior thesis-ish), and he is real tough. He is known around the school as the impossible nutrition professor. In the class I have him for he just ripped apart a paper I spent hours and hours on. He demands better quality work than any other professor I've had, and he will not hesitate to tell you how bad you are at something. To say the least, he is hard and very coarse.
I would love to just dislike him. It would be so easy. The problem is that he is so dang helpful and encouraging. After we got our papers back he went through and talked about common errors that many people made. In doing so he seemed to talk directly to me and basically highlighted everything that I did wrong. It seemed like he used my paper as an example of what to improve on without directly showing it to the class. Clearly he wants me to write better papers and is going out of his way to help. I am waiting for his office hours right now and I know he will be incredibly helpful.
In his office two things will happen: he will make me feel like an idiot and he will set me up to write a fantastic paper.
Why do I want to simply dislike him? It's so frustrating whenever he gives me reasons to like him. Why? I want to pass him off as a jerk. For some reason it's easier to lump people into groups and stereotypes. Why? I've been thinking about this one for a while without any result.
I've looked at the upcoming endurance season this summer and am excited. I basically have 3 goals: race a solo race (probably just a sprint), race a 24+ hour race, and race a marathon (Detroit on Oct. 18). Lets see if I can pull these off.
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It is easier to lump people into groups because it makes us feel better about ourselves. If you decide you dont like someone you dont have to put any more energy into it. There. Done. I dont like them. But people are fluid and the only constant about people it change. I have found that I like most people and am more influenced by other people when they dont like someone. I was volunteering last week and was between two women. I enjoyed both of them as they were outgoing and excited. The women on my right was in nursing school and very immature and the woman on my left was about a year out of college. Throughout the day the woman on my left got progressively annoyed by the woman on my right. Eventually, I was getting annoyed when before that time I could care less. She was projecting. And that is the otherside of lumping people into groups. We project what we may not like about ourselves or project what we are getting from others to interpret how we feel about people.
ReplyDeleteLike a marathon run? That's a lot of boredom tolerance in the training and the race.
ReplyDeleteThe marathon is purely for pride. My pride can't tolerate being able to race for 7 hours without having said I've run a marathon. Besides, I really like to run.
ReplyDeleteThe marathon is the least of the 3 goals, though.
ReplyDeleteHey, a marathon is a great achievement and worth the time and energy. My knees are a mess today but I still can claim fininshing the Denver Marathon and the Boston Marathon. I especially feel proud of the Boston Marathon. Do it all again? "Yes, no question about it!"
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