Yes I confess, I am a stalker in my own ways. But! Allow me to clarify things first, my stalker mode only operates in the cyberworld. Facebook, Twitter, and Google are my ultimate crime buddies. And the people I stalk are limited to those who interests me. A crush (tee hee) and people I admire because of their humbled achievements.. they are my usual victims :D

And why I am suddenly talking about stalking? Allow me first to relate my recent experience.

I was browsing over my Twitter account last night after a long day at work. I have two Twitter accounts by the way. (No, I am not a Twitter addict, let me explain) I maintain a private and a public account. My private account are exclusive to my really close friends, those people who saw my cry cry crayola moments and have enough tolerance level to experience my immature rants. I opened a public account to accommodate my acquaiantances, colleagues and students. Instead of giving my mobile phone number, Twitter served as the next best communication tool.

Twitter randomly provides suggested people to follow. These people are usually found within your network, either you follow a common person or a number of your contacts follow them. Though I usually ignore this feature, I noticed familiar faces in my suggested list. Most of them were my students and this started the story.

Everything happened because of curiosity, I swear! I clicked the familiar faces I was surprised with the tweets or I should say rants and curses that I know were intended for me.

I was surprised but honestly, I never felt bad at all. I was on the contrary entertained by some of the words they used to describe the burden of taking my subject. I by the way handle Business Plan Writing subjects. In the entire stretch of the semester, my students write their Business Plan. Before the school year ends, they have to defend their paper to a three-man panel. I will not deny the fact that my subject demands a lot from my students. Business Plan Writing drains kids to the highest level. As their teacher, I really try my best to support them. I also spent sleepless nights reading and revising their papers. I monitor 13 groups which also gives me 13 papers to read and review everyday. When I review papers, I don't just write "revise" "change" "delete" and all those commanding words. I write, suggest and provide specific advices as to how they can improve their paper.

To be honest, I always have the option to become the lousy and lazy professor. I can easily say "I don't like the presentation of your market survey analysis. Change it!" I would rather say "You can still improve your Marketing Analysis. Generate and add the following tables. Expound your analyses by relating the responses to the market situation. You can start the discussion with..."

Having 13 papers to read is equally exhausting on my part. I also have to sacrifice sleep even during weekends. There were even instances when I have to forget my weekend life. I refuse to go out with my few and counted people who keeps me happy and holds the last strand of my sanity. As much as I wanted to look good and feel refreshed everyday, I can't. The lesser sleeping hours give me that lifeless and haggard look. This also explains why for the longest time, I am tagged as a boring, single and a great old maid in the making.

I know some of you will tell me that I am paid so I have no right to complain or explain. I acknowledge that fact. Your parents work hard to pay for your tuition fees, so you all deserve to receive the best education. If only some of you can take a peek to my malnourished pay slip, it might rattle off your senses. However, I believe that this profession does not work with money. Though we need to money to support our families, I can personally attest that the best teachers in the world are not formed and motivated by money. The greatest teachers are those who teach because of their love for the profession.

I always wanted to tell my students how I landed in teaching. When I graduated from college, all I wanted was to teach. Unfortunately, teaching gave me first taste of job rejection. I forgot teaching and moved on to another career. However, after I finished my MBA, the opportunity to teach came in. I wanted to teach not because of money. I wanted to teach because it was one of my dreams that was waiting to be fulfilled. 

I am not mad though. I wasn't really hurt by all those harsh words. I'm getting used to it. I also don't take things personally. So no worries about your grades :) I have learned to differentiate personal and work life issues.

My only wish is, for this semester will end soon (hehehe), everyone will pass the defense. Everyone will feel proud and accomplished on our last day. And when you look back at your college life 5 to 10 years from now, you will consider Business Plan Writing as one of your humbled achievements.

I would accept the pain of being tagged as a sore, loser and old maid in the making, if it means being given this rare, humbling and noble opportunity to become an instrument of building happy, accomplished and successful people.