Will you miss us?

This question is often asked by my students. Each time there's a term break, and every time a vacation looms ahead. Or when the academic year ends.

"No, I won't," will be my quick reply. Just to yank their chains.

This question is asked again many times this past week as we head towards another long break. It's the end of the semester. The classes I've been teaching these past 17 weeks are over. Next semester, I am most likely to get a new set of students.

Truth is, of course I'll miss them. All of them. Not just the attentive and diligent ones - the ones who pay attention and hold on to my every word. Or the ones who deliver every time an assignment is given. Even the ones who offer to carry my files, or erase the white board each time class ends. I will miss ALL my students. The annoying ones, the ones who question everything I do and say, the ones who go MIA 30% of the time, even the ones who talk back. It's the 'little things' that matter to me, really. Altogether, they make up the details in the fabric of my new-found teaching career.

But this semester especially has been a colourful one. I've been assigned an interesting bunch of students. Many are graduating this year. Seemingly more responsible and mature, but just as needy :p Among this batch, there is a group who seem more attached than usual. They are in my office almost every day, to consult, to vent their frustrations about schoolwork, fellow classmates and lecturers, to snack on the foods I have in my office or just to chat, meet me for lunch, or walk me to my car after work's done. They are a lively bunch, too lively sometimes. They may be rowdy to some, but to me, they are an engaging bunch - talkative, full of stories and ideas, extremely loyal, and helpful when I ask for help, even if they have to come back during term break to do it. Hats off to them!

Here they are in, in all their glory. Sweet Jeremy, heroic Zarir, Joseph "Manja" Lee, and oh ever-so-loyal Sufian. One's not in the picture: handsome Kenn. My roommate calls them my permanent fixtures, part of the furniture. Strangely enough, they don't seem to mind. I don't mind having them around either. Makes my life at work more colourful. Funny how they have so much to talk about. Busy creatures too - life's spilling over for them - too much to do in so little time. Just too many relationships to juggle in the midst of all that schoolwork! And they haven't even started work! They've been bugging me to write about them. Self absorbed, no?

Guys, I will miss you once you graduate. You'll always be in my heart.