Hey – What is Your Name?

Recently, I bumped into a former student of mine in the bank.  Nothing unusual about that, most certainly.  I was in the bank at our old campus and this student had come visiting the old campus for old times’ sake. When I suddenly bumped into her, the problem was that I could distinctly remember that she had been my student, I remembered where she was from, remembered some of the details about her- everything except her name! I could even remember which batch she belonged to and how she was in the class.  The silly thing with my brain was that it had her name somewhere but was not revealing it to me.  I talked to her for a few minutes and since it was time for me to get back, I excused myself and got back into my car.  Then suddenly her name popped up in my head! By then it was too late to be of any use. All throughout my conversation with my former student, I was distracted trying to get her name out of cold storage. And, somehow it didn't seem right to ask her for it. Maybe it was the effusiveness with which she met me and I did not want to pour cold water over her pleasure of bumping into me.  Perhaps it is the feeling that it is thoughtlessness or rude to forget someone's name.........

 

Is it that I am getting old? Is it that I am now meeting far more students than earlier?  I am sure many professors must be going through this agony every time they bump into their former students after some time.  Some faces are so clear in your mind and yet the name eludes you when you want it the most.

The dilemma one faces is that, sometimes, you may have spent some time with that student helping him/ her academically.  Maybe the student has been one of your advisees and one ought to remember them.  There could be a student who has been particularly memorable because one has pulled up that student time and again.  The student may have a dozen reasons to expect you to remember the name and details.   But the synapses do not always connect up in the professor’s mind!

I wish students would help out their forgetful former teachers and mention their names the first thing when they meet them.  Conversation and catching up could then be more pleasant for the professor rather than his being in the agony of trying to remember his student's name.  Please remember that your teachers are no longer as young as they used to be.

Bala@Ranchi