Chapter 17

   When Rebecca finally woke up the next morning she actually found herself looking forward to the
opportunity to share her first assignment and paper with the class. Even though it had been a crazy first day and
she had to go through a lot to get it done there was a part of her that was proud of the paper she had written and
the work she had done. In high school she had the pleasure of having an amazing writing teacher that introduced
her to the joy of reading and writing and she was happy to get the chance to show the teacher and the class what
she had written.  

   Once she finally made it to class she could already see that over a half of the students that were there on
the first day of class had decided not to show up. She was wondering if they had dropped the class altogether or if
they weren't coming today because they were afraid to read their paper out loud to the class. The teacher just
smiled when he saw just how few other people were in his class from the first day and he almost had this look of
pride at the fact that he had managed to chase away that many people within the first day. 

   Once the remainder of the class got settled he said with a smirk," I guess I must have chased them away
with my humor and charm. I always am amazed and amused at how many people begin to leave my class right
after the first day of class. All that means is that I am ultimately left with the cream of the crop and the people
that are actually willing to work for their grades." 
"You won't get very far in life if you are always running away from a little bit of hard work and I definitely
plan to work you guys hard but hopefully in a way to where you can begin to get the basics laid out for the rest of
your college careers." 

  "Now I know that I did assign a paper for you guys to write on Monday and I was very serious about having
it completed on time. If you do not learn to be punctual in life and procrastinate you will always be behind. So
with a show of hands how many people actually put in the work and did the assignment." 
Rebecca raised her hand immediately but of the other people that were left in the class about 15 others
had raised their hands as well while the other 20 that remained in the original class of 60 did not raise their hands.
You could tell that he was a little sad that over half of the class that was left hadn't turned in their assignments
but at the same time be began by saying, 
"I know that I had expected more from the people that actually did show up I had hoped that more of you
would have actually taken the time to do the assignment but at the same time I also want to show my appreciation
for the people that have also turned in their assignments as well. 

   "I usually don't do this but I am deciding to be generous today and whoever actually turned in their assignment on
time today will get an extra 10 points added to whatever score I give you out of 50 point and my I remind the rest
of the people that did not turn in their homework that I accept no late work no matter the excuse."
"I suspect that this will make some people very happy while making some people very angry with me but I also
want you to take all of my assignments seriously from now on and make sure to turn it in when I ask instead of
waiting till later.  
With that announcement there was a simultaneous shout of joy from the people that had actually turned
in their home works while the students who had not turned in their homework began to groan and to grumble to
each other and start to become even more upset at the teacher.  
One girl even got up and shouted," That's not fair." as the other students began to agree and to whisper
and to moan and to generally kick themselves for missing out on a free extra 10 points if they had just turned it in
on time.  

   There was a girl who was sitting next to one of her friends that was whispering underneath her breath,"
That isn't fair. Just because we didn't turn it in doesn't mean that they should get an extra 10 points. If I had
known that I would have turned it in. He can't just decide to give away points whenever he wants." 
The teacher must have heard this side conversation because he immediately replied by saying," This is my
class and if I hadn't forgotten you are my students and I am your teacher and as long as you are in my classroom
until you either leave my class at the end of the quarter or decide to drop you will follow the rules of my class."
"  May I remind everyone in the class that there is no late work accepted for any assignment so I hope this
is a lesson to you that didn't turn in your assignment on time that every assignment is meant to be turned in on
time and no exceptions. As the teacher it is also my discretion to give out as many or as little points as I want on
any given assignment. The sooner you realize this the smoother your learning process will be in my class." 

   All the while during his speech Rebecca was secretly smiling to herself. She was grateful that she had
managed to turn in her assignment considering how much she had to go through to get it done but she was also
secretly smiling because she was happy that he was being as strict as he was towards the students who hadn't
turned in their homework and standing is ground. 
During high school she would always turn in her homework on time and if there was any way she could
turn in her assignments early she would go ahead and turn them in early and get them over with. She would always
end up getting the highest marks on her assignments and often would get the highest marks on her tests as well.

  Even with that said it was usually the jocks, and the cheerleaders and most often the football players that would
be notorious for being rude in class and for being rude in general, would seldom turn in their homework, get the
lowest marks on their tests, and still somehow manage to skirt by all their classes with a C so that they could still
play. 
So when the teacher had finished his speech by the time most of the students were groaning and
grumbling about his announcement to the class and rolling their eyes at him there was a part of her that couldn't
help but smile to herself. She got the feeling that they would eventually become friends and she would enjoy
taking his class.  
It dawned on her just how completely different Dr. Harday's and Mrs. Carrington's teaching style different
yet somehow she got the feeling she would going to enjoy both of them as instructors but in different ways. She
was beginning to feel like she might actually belong here at Stanford after all. 

  When the teacher finally called roll he began to call on the students that had actually managed to turn in their
assignments on time. Rebecca began to raise her hand immediately. She wanted to read her paper as soon as
possible so she wouldn't have to worry about speaking later and could go ahead and leave the class once she was
done.  
Luckily for her the teacher must have seen that she wanted to get it over with and leave early and he
picked her first. As Rebecca got up to speak to the class she felt a rush of peace and calm run through her as she
began to think about everything that had transpired that had led her to this moment where she would be sharing
her paper in front of her students and peers about why she was here in the first place.

   When she began to speak, she started out by saying," Hi my name is Rebecca and I am sure by the end of the class
you all will probably know me very well. Just to start out with if you haven't already guessed from the accent I am
from Texas and even though there are some people and things that I don't care for at the same time I am proud to
have been born there as well." 
"I know that a lot of you probably don't really know that much about what it’s like to live in Texas or even
anywhere in the south period and that doesn't involve being in southern California which I am sorry to say to you
Californians doesn't count as being in the south . "  
"But what I can tell you is that I am proud to be here representing Texas and Tyler and most of all my
mom who is still living in Texas now and who allowed me to come here as well even though she knew nothing
about California or Stanford except that I got accepted and I wanted to go into Pre-Law." 

   "The reason for me coming here and studying Pre-Law is because I see that there are too many women in
general that don't have a voice. The accounts of rape of all kinds and even domestic violence in the home has been
on a steady increase and has grown exponentially even with the last 5 or 10 years and it continues to increase
every year. There is a statistic that says that 1 in 3 women will have been sexually assaulted or raped within their
life times and unfortunately a lot of the cases go unreported."  
When Rebecca first opened her eyes she was woken up by Ashley going through her drawers frantically
looking for something and throwing around everything in her drawers on the floor in an effort to find whatever she
had obviously misplaced. Rebecca almost wanted to ask what she was looking for but something stopped her as she
just sat there and looked as Ashley as she was basically tearing the room apart in search of what she had lost.
Finally she grabs her notebook from a pile of clothes in the back of her closet and runs out the door leaving the
room a mess in the process.  

  As Rebecca looks at the mess around her and the carnage of their room that was left in the wake of
Ashley she is beginning to think this might end up being one of those days to begin with. As she prepares for her
English and her Business Statistics class she collects her books and her separate notebooks for each class as she
puts on her back pack and hops over the mess of clothes and things that were still left lying on the floor. 
Once she finally does get to Mrs. Carrington's class she can already see some new faces of the people who didn't
show up on the first day. When Mrs. Carrington sees Rebecca in her class she gives Rebecca a warm and knowing
smile and somehow the stresses of the early morning seem to melt away as she puts them out of her mind and gets
ready for class. When Mrs. Carrington sees that a good majority of the people in her class shows at a little bit after
10 she begins her class by saying," I can see there are some new faces here that I have not seen before. If you don't
already know my name is Mrs. Carrington and I am going to be your instructor for the rest of the semester."
"

   I know for a lot of you this will be your first college course that you have ever taken in your lives but I
assure you that even though we will learn a lot you will also learn to I am very relaxed when it comes to most
things. I am not here to be your mother and if you don't turn in your assignments it is not my duty to punish our
reprimand you. It is all on you to do your own work when you see fit. You will find that as long as you come to
class each day and turn in your assignments on time it is relatively easy to get an A in my class but if you choose
not to show up on a consistent basis or if you choose not to turn in your assignments that is ultimately on you as
well but your grade will also suffer in the process." 

  "One other thing that I enjoy is truly being able to get to learn every single one of my students and the
individual stories that they all come with. As far as my history goes I have always loved reading and writing and I
have even written and published some of my own books in the past but I feel like people are the most interesting
books and each person is the author and writer of their own history and stories and we all carry our own words
with us. Even if you do not naturally enjoy writing or reading we still have our own unique stories and  histories to
tell."
"

   With that said I believe that every student has the potential to do amazing things in their lives if they
allow themselves to truly apply to their studies and allowing their efforts in this institution to not go in vain. We
are not considered one of the leading colleges for nothing. As teachers we have a lot to offer our students if you
are willing to put in the work and the effort to learn what the teachers are trying to convey. You will leave
Stanford not only with a greater appreciation for education in general but as a well-rounded and well educated
individual. The only thing that is standing in the way of you achieving this is yourself." 

  "If you choose not to do or to turn in the material or decide to waste your education by not coming to
class or not taking your professors seriously or your education here than ultimately that is your decision as well but
it will only end up being a very expensive waste of time. I want to see all of my students achieve their dreams and
to be able to come out of this experience better than when you first started. To do that you need to be willing to
put in the work to not only do the work but to put in the personal effort to change and to grow as you go along in
your studies. Whatever discipline or major you might be it ultimately comes down to constantly trying to become a
better you than you were the day before. As long as you can do that you will be a success in my book." 

   "But I know that I have taken enough of your time already preaching so I want to see if I can actually start
to give you guys your course syllabus like I promised on Tuesday and start filling you guys in on what I expect you
guys as far as course work goes. I know that some of you are not as strong of readers as others so I want to make
sure to develop and to grow your reading and writing skills throughout my course. I will assign two reading
assignments during the semester that need to be read in class and we will be taking turns reading out of the
assigned texts and reading that I have lied out in your syllabus as well." 

   "For those of you who don't have a problem reading out loud there will be plenty of chances to develop
your skills in writing. There will be 4 major writing assignments that you will have to produce that have to be in
MLA format and a minimum of 750 words each. Each paper has to be about a different point in your life that was
significant to you and that you feel helped shape the person you are today. The dates that they are due are
written on the syllabus as well. Don't wait until the last minute to produce the papers. It is best to get them done
early and as soon as possible so you don't have to worry about turning a rushed paper or no paper at all." 

  "I think you will find like most professors here I do not accept late work as well. It is just too much of a
hassle for us to have to keep backtracking to figure who turned in what that it’s just a lot easier for us to have a 0
tolerance policy on late work in general. Even with that said I will make sure to give you plenty of time and notice
ahead to make sure that you can turn in your assignments on the given dates. You will also notice that there are
smaller 50 word papers that are due at the end of every new chapter or reading assignment and you will also
notice that I give you guys a week to turn in these papers so you don't have to stress too much about them." They
are only 10 points each so if you miss one or don't so well it won't kill your grade but don't get in the habit of not
doing them because they do add up."
"

  The main things that you have to worry about are your two reading assignments and your 4 written
assignments which if you turn to your syllabus again you will see that combined they equal up 80% of your grade so
even if you don't do anything else but your papers you can still manage to pass my class. Unlike most teachers you
will also notice that I give 5 points of extra credit to any work or assignment that is turned in on time as an extra
incentive and bonus for those students that choose to turn in their assignments before the date. I am probably one
of the first teachers to implement this as a given rule instead of just arbitrarily assigning extra credit where I see
fit so if you want to thank me make sure to turn in your homework early and make it a lot easier for me and for
yourself in the long run." 

   "I believe that if you apply yourself you will see that you don't really have to try hard at all to pass my
class. As long as you are here and do the assignments you should be ok. But more than just getting a passing grade
I want you to truly understand what you are learning and possibly learn new things and new concepts that you
have never thought of before. Often by reading other people's stories we can expand our own views and ideas
about our own stories as well. That is ultimately the power of writing and of books in general. No matter what
style or genre of no matter how short or long it is every author is telling you bits of their own story in their stories
and you can get a feel for where the author is coming from by truly reading and understanding the context of
which the writing came from and what type of message the author is trying to convey." 

   "By doing so we step away from becoming absent readers and we truly start to comprehend and
understand the deeper meaning and undertones of different authors and how they play into the type of writing or
the books that they produce. Once you are able to do that books and writing in general takes a whole new and
grand meaning that begins to show into the hearts and minds of the person that is writing as well as taking you
away to a different place as well. A book can be an escape into another world or a best friend that you can return
to and get something new from if you learn how to appreciate the true story behind the story and allow your mind
to paint a picture as you are reading and truly imagining yourself being there."
"

 

   All the great books and authors of our time seemed to share that ability not only to teach us something
about the time and the context that the book was written in but also being able to transport us to those better
places in our minds where we can explore and allow ourselves to truly be in the stories and imagining ourselves
actually being there. It is almost like a light or a picture that becomes illuminated in your mind so that once you
read the book it sticks with you and leaves a little piece of the book or those images, feelings, emotions, and even
stories that get left behind that can add to our own personal stories and change us for better or sometimes for
worst. Whether we like it or not what we read or see greatly effects how we feel and act towards other people as
well."
"

   It is because of this that you must be able to critically analyze what you see and read to be able to filter
out the negative ideas or themes that can also be passed down and carried along in what we see or read all around
us. We are often bombarded with media on a daily basis whether it be the news or the internet or the television or
even magazines and newspapers are all trying to say and to convey something to us but these images and ideas or
not always positive and we have to be able to truly look at what type of messages are being created when we look
and see the type of messages that are being sent, being able to see if what they are saying or conveying is worth
paying attention to, and if there is any truth or validity to their statements. I hate to burst your bubble children
but if you didn't already know, not everything you see on television or read in the ads and especially on the
internet is always the truth. It is your job as productive members of society to be able to figure out what is the
truth and what it not."  

   It was at that moment she made that comment that there was a light laughter that had filled the room.
You could feel and tell that all of the students already felt completely comfortable with her. It was a stark
difference from the overall fear that Dr. Haraday seemed to invoke of his students to the point where over half of
the class had decided not to show up on the 2nd day. She had an open and friendly personality that could warm
even the most hardest of hearts. Even as she was talking to the class she had a lighthearted smile on her face and
you could tell that she truly enjoyed her job. She was the type of teacher who just seemed to exude this inner
sense of knowledge and wisdom that seemed to just flow from her. 

   The more that Rebecca heard her speak the more impressed she became with Mrs. Carrington's in general.
She got this overall sense of benevolence and good will that she hadn't seen in a person in a very long time. As she
was looking around the classroom she could tell that Mrs. Carrington was having the same effect on the other
people in the class room as well. It was almost like her good will and cheer were infectious. She found herself
wondering if her life might have been different if she had met someone like Mrs. Carrington when she was in high
school but she was glad that she was getting the chance to have her as one of her first teachers of the semester. 
She found herself looking back at everything she had gone through in her life that lead her here and Rebecca felt
somehow that Mrs. Carrington was an angel and that she must be a protector or guardian over the students and she
felt somehow that her and Mrs. Carrington would form a really close relationship as the semester went on. When
the class finally ended she went up to Mrs. Carrington and thanked her for the other day and for giving her the
hope and the strength to tell her story with pride. 

    Upon hearing this she could actually see that her teacher was actually beginning to get a tear in her eye
as she gave Rebecca a really big hug and said thank you to Rebecca. As Rebecca was about to leave Mrs.
Carrington stopped her and said your story gives me hope as well. I know that you will make me proud. Even
though I know I have just met you as a student I feel like I had an instant connection to you and to your story as
well and if there is anything that you need from me to help make your dream and story come true just let me
know."

   Rebecca had to hold back a tear herself as she began to walk away and to prepare for her first class. In a lot of
ways Mrs. Carrington was like the mother she wished she had always had. She gave off this very warm and
motherly feeling that really attracted Rebecca to her. She wanted to know more about Mrs. Carrington as well but
she knew that she had to get ready for her Business Statistics class and she got the feeling she would get the
chance to learn more about Mrs. Carrington as the semester went on. 
When she got to her Business Statistics class the teacher was another stark contrast from Mrs. Carrington.
Where Dr. Haraday was a lot more strict and by the book than she was, her Business Statistics teacher was
opposite in appearance in almost every way. When Rebecca first saw him he reminded her of a troll or dwarf.
Where Mrs. Carrington was tall and lanky he was short and squat with a very developed beer belly to match.
Where Mrs. Carrington was more olive toned his skin had the blotchy and red look of someone who is prone to
drinking on a regular basis and she seriously wondered if he didn't have a drink just before the class. His eyes were
bloodshot and his teeth had the yellow consistency of someone who smokes too much and his hair was balding in
the middle.  

  When he talked he had a rough and nasally voice that made it hard to hear what he was saying. As he
began to introduce himself to the class he said that his name was Mr. Pickman. The first think he said was," I am
sure that you are still in shock from being fresh meat off the boat so I won't torture you by going into too much
today. I will just give you your syllabus and let you leave. As he passed them out to the class he had this wormy
grin on his face that made her want to run the other direction and the way that he was looking at some of the
other female students as he was passing the syllabus to them made her want to hit him that much more.

  When she finally escaped from his class room she almost ran back to her dorms as if she were trying to run away
from the experience of running into him in general. Where Dr. Haraday had some redeeming qualities that made
her think that she could actually enjoy going to his class she could find no redeeming qualities in Mr. Pickman. She
was starting to curse her luck but then again she thought at least 2 out of the 3 teachers isn't too bad and she had
already made up her mind that no matter how disgusted she was by him she wouldn't use it as an excuse to not do
well in his class. 

  When she got back to her dorm room she thanked her stars that Ashley wasn't there and that she had
actually managed to pick her clothes off the floor that she had left earlier that day. As Rebecca went over the
syllabus for Mr. Pickman's class she saw that a lot of the things that he was going over she had already learned in
her statistics class in high school. She was at least happy for that lucky break. It actually didn't look like the class
was really going to be that hard if she stuck with it. Rebecca was counting her blessings as she tried to put the day
behind her and get a little rest before she went to sleep.