It’s almost a surreal thing to think what your professors do outside of class. Part of it might just be the desire to not spend more time thinking about school than I have to, but when I’m in class, I’m usually (trying) to soak up as much as I can so I don’t look completely clueless on the midterm/exam. However, during a sociology class I had to read an article in the textbook by, lo and behold, my professor. While it seemed weird at first, it ultimately made sense; teachers do research and write essays just like us – instead of getting graded, returned and tossed in the recycling, cherished, they get published.
So when I found out that faculty would be holding a full-on book fair on the fourth floor of the library, my ears perked up a bit. A large portion of the books sold have been written by either Ryerson alumni or faculty, and that fact made my midterm-weary heart swell a bit. It’s nice to see people not simply resting on their laurels and continuing to do work, but it’s also enjoyable to be able to read that work if it looks particularly interesting. When a professor writes a book about the subject that you’re already being taught in their classes, it almost feels like it’s an embodiment of their passion – despite what they might look like after they have to explain the most basic concept again. Picking up that book is almost like being able to visit the office hours of their brain, only this time you don’t have to worry about turning in late assignments or begging for an extension.
