awkwardness,  profs

Pour a Little Sugar on Me, Baby.

Hello,

I’m graduating this spring. I’ve had some awesome profs over the last few years, and I’d like to thank them and tell them I really enjoyed their class (even ones I had 2 years ago). What’s the norm for doing that? Would it be odd getting a note from a student they barely knew or might not remember, telling them what I’ll be doing after graduation? And are handwritten mailed notes going overboard- would email be more appropriate?

Thanks!
J

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You know what, I think that they?d really appreciate it.? I don?t think that there?s a ?norm? for it, per se, because students are normally arrogant jerk-faces who don?t care enough to thank their professors for all of the hard work that they?ve put into teaching a course.? You?d totally be the rainbow on a sunny day for them if you went ahead and did that, especially if you hand wrote them because then they?d feel too guilty to throw it out afterwards and you? be in their hearts (and office) **forever**.

One Comment

  • Gloria

    I think a lot of students do think of it, but believe their profs would be too embarrassed, or they were stepping over some kind of line. It’s harder at U of T when most students may not know their profs so well. I know I’ve thought of it, but didn’t do it because I didn’t want to come off as some kind of toadying blowhard.

    But you know … put yourself into a professor’s shoes. Would you think so badly of a person who says they appreciated your work? Not unless you’re a blowhard yourself, and if you were, you wouldn’t be getting thank-you notes in the first place.

    And handwritten thank-you notes are always nice! Go for it.

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