My most influential teacher was my English composition professor in college. Halfway through the semester I got overwhelmed and dropped his class because I didn’t think I could do it. Instead of letting me go, he contacted the student counselors and asked them to reach out to me, saying he would make an exception and let me back in even though it was past the deadline. I rejoined, worked hard, and ended up getting an A in his class. His belief in me gave me a huge boost in self‑esteem, and after that I became an honors student, getting straight A’s in all my classes.

I still struggle with insecurity and anxiety, and I talk about that a lot in therapy. I’m slowly learning more self‑confidence and assertiveness so I can keep pursuing my goals and dreams. His class was one of the first times someone’s belief in me helped me see that maybe I really could succeed.