Validating my reality

In one of my final lectures for my marketing class, my professor asked students to stand up if English was not their first language, and had the class give us a round of applause. I stood up and as I was walking out shared with my friends that it made me really emotional. Not because I had struggled in English, but because it was the first time I had a professor highlight how many challenges we face in our academic career go unnoticed.

Given that I majored in political science for three years and then transferred into marketing, I had faced my fair share of prejudice, stereotypes and micro-aggressions, but in that moment I felt that it all did not matter, because someone who inspired me all semester long had noticed it for not just me, but for many students.

I had spent countless hours on the phone and texting my friend during a marketing project that was extremely painful in a previous semester and feeling drained out. I dealt with cold comments and constant mispronunciations of my name, but never felt that anyone understood the gravity of what I was feeling. I felt the need to explain it and was walking on eggshells during the team project trying to understand if these actions were intentional or unintentional.

This class made my experience feel valid, that even if it had not been dealt with officially, someone realized it did happen. That many of these issues such as stereotypes, prejudice and mental health struggles may happen behind closed doors, but still happen.

While my friend did validate my experience, this moment in class meant a lot. I got validated about battles that I had faced in silence, ones that I brushed off and decided to ignore in order to continue.

Not only did my professor validate my silent battles, but show me that passion in something you enjoy can take you far. I had taken this class on the recommendation of a friend who could only sing praises for this professor, and now I see why! He came to every class with a smile, and those lectures passed by quickly with his engaging theories and love for food that goes beyond just marketing concepts.

It is professors like him that uplift students without them asking. Given that many of my friends come from various cultural backgrounds, I cannot wait to share this moment with them. We have all at one point or the other shared our struggles, but have never spoken about a professor acknowledging it so openly.

As I have been in university for quite some time, I am glad that in my last year I am taking courses with professors who have opened my eyes to many things.

I am glad that I have gone through hard moments during my academic career, because they have also taught me valuable life skills. I am eternally grateful for kind professors who make sure their students are heard and remind us that we are all human. He left us with some words of wisdom that I am sharing below, perhaps this will be as inspiring to you as it is to me:

• Focus on your dreams, not drama
• Be generous, be kind, don’t hold a grudge
• Laugh each day & appreciate the little daily pleasures (He did add his partner makes him laugh everyday, and I couldn’t help but smile at how adorably he added to find someone who makes you laugh!)
• Don’t let the urgent trump the important
• Life puts you where you need to be
• Find a job you love and you will never work another day in your life

Professor Lebel, I cannot thank you enough. Your wit, passion for food and overall positivity is one of the highlights of my university career. If you ever get the chance to take Dr. Jordan Lebel, do it. A class about food marketing left me with lots of food for thought.

I hope that everyone has a professor that makes sure they feel heard without having to ask for it. Today’s lecture left me with more than just validation. It led me to realize that validation comes in many forms and I do not always have to seek it, it can sometimes just come without notice. This sort of validation may mean much more than you realize.