Teacher asked students to share something ‘your college professor did you’ll never forget’ — the responses are rekindling hope
Teachers have more roles to play than just that of educators. They become friends, mentors, beacon lights and so much more along the way. Maybe via their personality or one particular interaction, students have that one special memory in their hearts that is unforgettable. A college professor, who goes by @shauhindavari on TikTok, shared a post asking students to reveal "something your professor did that you'll never forget." With over 24,000 responses from students sharing vivid, priceless moments from college, the clip has gone viral, banking over 559,000 views.
Sharing his perspective in his caption, the professor wrote, "It's the formative years. They're incredibly important. I love my job because I get to have an impact on people in those incredibly important moments." He further shared that as a student, his professors, too, changed his life. "I want to know how yours changed you," he added. Many students revealed that they have that one teacher they'll never forget — either due to one unexpected experience of love or a prolonged relationship built on trust and kindness and these 15 are a heartwarming read.
1. Kindness and compassion
"During finals, I had completely confused the time of the test. I thought my test was at 3 pm, but it was at 11.30 am. When I found that out after I showed up to the classroom at 3 pm, I panicked so hard. I went to my professor's office and asked him with teary eyes if I could still take the exam, even for half of the score. Without saying anything, he stood up, told me to follow him to an empty room, set down the exam, said, 'You have 3 hours' and left the room. I got a B+ on the test. The kindness and mercy he showed me that day have impacted me to this day." -@yaaosram
2. An offer of empathy
"My baby was sick, so daycare couldn't take her. I walked into my class with my 2-year-old wrapped in her blanket at 8 am to take my lab final. I was crying because I knew he was going to send me home and I would fail the class. He told me he has grandkids and took care of my daughter while I took my final. I passed the exam with an A." -@nfloreess
3. 'Helped me more than she'll ever know.'
"My brother passed away from OD. One day, my psychology professor was going over how substances affect someone's psychological state. She played a documentary and took note that my leg was tapping and my eyes were watery. Next class, she pulled me aside and passed me a note asking if things were okay. I explained things to her and how I was struggling with it. She told me to meet with her every Tuesday and Thursday in her office, not even during her office hours. She helped me out way more than she'll ever know." -@foopatroopa508
4. Saving grace
"I texted my ceramics teacher in a panic like, 'Hey, gonna miss class I got arrested (bench warrant for a traffic ticket), so unless you have $300 in bail money... lol' and he was like, 'Yeah, I'll send someone over with it and some extra, pick up tacos for everyone on your way back.'" -@berrydelight666
5. Passionate and strong belief
"I had a Chicano studies professor look at me and say, 'You're an engineering major? And in my class.' I said, 'I don't know if I'll make it in STEM — it's all men. He said, 'You are a first-gen Latina. Go in there and give them hell. I am not an engineering professor, but I will help you!' And he always did and believed in me." - @paulinacasterellon
6. Having your back
"The university messed up my financial aid and I only had a couple of days to pay $1,000 before I would be dropped from classes. I was barely scraping by already and had no way to come up with the money. My clarinet professor gave the financial office an earful for misrepresenting my aid package and then had our department grant me a music department scholarship so I could finish the semester. He just sprang into action and made the problem go away." -@lenorejoyann
7. Going beyond teaching subjects
"For our midterm, our professor told us that we would be writing this big essay, followed by a long multiple-choice test that would take us 2-3 hours to finish. The day of the midterm, he emailed all of us that he 'cancelled' everything and that instead he wanted everyone to go out and do something fun that we've always wanted to do. We weren't allowed to use that time to do homework or anything school-related. Our midterm would be just to write a paragraph about what we did. Turns out, he does this every year for his 'midterm' because he wants to give his students a chance to do something fun they never have the time for!" -@jovencita.chaparrita
8. The one who cares
"I was the only girl in my calculus class and I told my professor that the boys in my group weren't taking me seriously. He said that he'd handle it and they never bothered me again." -@lollurr
9. Looking beyond with a lens of understanding
"During my sophomore year, I was spiraling and I broke down to my Calculus II professor. I was a bio major and that was my last math class. I'm almost sure I never passed a single exam but he knew how hard I was trying despite everything. He made sure I passed. I'll forever be grateful to him and remember to pay it forward." -@francesvaleria
10. Showing up with love
"My orchestra professor found out from a classmate that I was close with my aunt, who was my best friend, and had passed that morning from colon cancer. The professor came up and said, 'I get why you're here, but if you need to leave, you just do it.' At the next class, he brought me a sympathy card, homemade 'juju' cookies and a notification of a donation to the American Cancer Society in my aunt's remembrance." -@berserkerbearsbabblings
You can follow @shauhindavari on TikTok for more content on teaching and college life.