May 2005, the Friday before finals week (and a little over a week before graduation) my dad called me and hesitantly told me he thought it was time for me to come home and say goodbye to my grandfather. A friend was driving me home less than an hour later. I spent the week visiting him each day in the hospital. Thursday of finals week, I drove back to my college to spend the day with the class I volunteered with and went to go present a group project, only I had the time of the final mixed up. Luckily, prior to finals week, I had called all my professors or e-mailed them and they called me (I can’t remember). All of them told me to take the time I needed, and not to worry about not graduating due to finals. They talked to the dean on my behalf who called me at home. I told them I would try to make it to the group project presentation, talked to my partners, and shared my part of the project (I had it done ahead of time because I was nuts). Frustrated that I had driven out to make a group project only to have missed it completely, I drove back to my hometown and stopped at my grandparents’ house. My grandpa had come home that morning. We had a brief conversation. He was hooked up to oxygen and tired. He passed away the next day. I graduated the following Monday, all of my professors gave me the A’s I had prior to the finals. Their compassion and understanding meant the world to me, and allowed me to focus on my family and saying goodbye. So, while some people do fake this —- if you are a professor, at least check out their story.
(Source: kohenari)
