The teacher becomes the student

That title sounds like a lame quote from 'Karate Kid' but it accurately describes my experience going back to Uni this last month. At the ripe ole age of 26, I decided to go back to college to do a night course in journalism. So, every monday and wednesday night I cart my folders into town and make my embarrassed excuses for being late. I usually wind up sitting beside the weird loser with oily skin at the back. I try to avoid looking at him in case I stare too much at his zits and he inaccurately thinks I'm looking at him because I fancy him.

Sitting in the dim, airless lecture room somehow doesn't add to the joy of the learning experience. Nevertheless, I'm enthralled. I love my classes. I hang onto my lecturer's every word about page lay out and sources and what to do if I'm ever interviewing a politician. In fact, I've discovered that I have not changed at all since I was at school. Teacher's pet is not the word. I just love kissing arse and being a total geek- laughing at the teacher's every joke and obediently copying everything down. Jesus, I must've been an annoying kid. Maybe I don't even like journalism, maybe I just like being 'a student'.

So the teacher became the teacher's pet again. My patience was rewarded tonight though. The lecturer told me my work was brilliant  and I turned a not very fetching shade of pink. Tomorrow, I'll go into my classroom and will be greeted by the dawn chorus of 'Miss....why the fuck do we have to learn poetry? It's so shit!