Back to School Blues and Embarrassing Moments, too!!

Since it is back to school time I felt it was appropriate to share one of my most embarrassing moments. And yes, you read that right, I said ONE of my most embarrassing moments. I have several. Here goes:

It was a lovely first-day-of-school on Westminster Campus (a great liberal arts college located here in SLC). I was excited for school to start-- it was my second semester teaching Clinical Microbiology so I felt like a lot of the leg-work for the class had been done the previous semester. A lot of my "new professor jitters" had been worked out and I was excited for a new class. I smoothly walked into class about 10 minutes early and several students were already sitting in their seats. A few looked up and watched me walk to the front of the classroom and boot up the computer and projector-- at this point I can see the questioning glances they send to each other, wondering if this little lady is their professor. You see, at 25 years old I am not the typical wrinkly-faced and boring science teacher. I have tried really hard to pick out a feminine, but professional dress and sweater-set-- hoping that my choice adds a few years to my age.

I quickly dispense with the before class banter, trying to assert my authority. "Great day outside, isn't it?" "Yeah, nice," a few people mutter.

"Are most of you pre-nursing students?" I ask.

"Yes," most everyone chimes in.

Some more students walk in. The students in front talk among themselves and ask me if I'm the teacher. "Yes, I am," is the quick reply.

The minutes tick by on the clock until, bing!, it is 10:00 A.M. and time to start class. I pride myself on starting class right on time. It is one of my 'things'.

"Alright, it is time to start. This is Clinical Microbiology or Biology 111, section 3, so hopefully you are all in the right place. I'm in the right place, aren't I?" A few people laugh, and I move on while passing out the syllabus. "This is a tough class and just because I'm a nice person doesn't mean that you won't have to work hard. Are there any questions?"

"How old are you?" I knew this one was coming.

"Twenty-five." I say.

There are a few murmurs and a woman says, "My son is your age!"

There are a few more questions relating to the course and the lab which they had to sign up for separately. After I explain the grading scheme and take care of the formalities, I boot up Power Point and get started with the lecture. This is college, classes actually mean something the first day.

About 20 minutes into the lecture, I realize there is a major problem: I have to go to the bathroom-- BADLY. This was 4 years ago, before Roger was born, and right in the middle of my exercise phase of life. I had gotten up at 6:00 A.M. that morning to run and had drunk a lot of water afterward. In the hustle and bustle to get dressed, the kids ready, and supplies gathered, I hadn't made it to the bathroom that morning. Now I was really feeling it. I look at the clock and it is 10:45. Class doesn't get out until 11:15. By this point in lecture I am dancing, yes dancing around-- not my regular, 'microbiology-is-cool' lecture dance, but a full fledged POTTY DANCE (picture your 4 year old watching their favorite T.V. program and they refuse to go to the bathroom).

After about 5 minutes, I give in. There is no way I can make it another 20 minutes. I figure that wetting my pants on the first day of class wouldn't be the kind of imporession that I want to make. I blurt out, "Okay, we're going to take a quick break. I've gotta go to the bathroom or you might witness your first college professor having an accident during lecture." A few people laugh and I high-tail in out of the room-- totally red. At this point I am wondering why I had to let them know why I was taking a break, but you know me, I can't keep anything a secret.

I relieve myself and walk back into class. I crack a joke about my potty dance lecture, and the students are laughing aloud now. We all have a private joke for the rest of the semester and sometimes I dance around the screen when it looks like someone is falling asleep during my riveting discussions. I never lived that one down, but I guess I should be happy that the students felt comfortable enough with me to joke a bit.

Thankfully, my 'potty' incident didn't show up on any of my evals at the end of the semester and the students were pretty generous--even though their 25-year-old teacher apparently had no control of her bladder!!