College Student Shares The Message She Got From Her Professor After Missing Classes Because Her Dad Died
Prostock-studio | Shutterstock A college student named Venus shared a video message one of her professors sent her on TikTok after her dad passed away, and some people may find it a bit surprising.
It often feels like kindness and compassion are in short supply in the world today, but it seems like Venus got some right when she needed it. During a time when it would have been easy for her college professors to become frustrated with her falling behind and missing classes, one of them showed that he truly cared about her, not just as a student but as a person.
The professor assured his student that there’s nothing wrong with taking some time to process the loss of her father.
In the clip, Venus filmed the video message while it played on her laptop. “My professor, when I told him my dad passed away and that’s why I’ve been gone,” she said. “He deserves the world.”
The unnamed professor’s words are something we could all use when facing hard times. “And also, you know, be kind to yourself, OK?” he reminded her. “You’re not failing … I mentioned before, we’re doing the best to our circumstances, right? You’ve had two difficult things all at once, and, you know, give yourself a break, OK?”
He continued, “You’re not a failure, you’re not a bad student, you’re not a bad person, anything, OK? You’re just doing the best that you can based on how things are, and that’s the way it goes for all of life.”
The professor concluded his message by saying, “Give yourself a break, OK, in case you’re getting a little stuck up there,” while he pointed to his head. In the caption, Venus added that he had excused all of the work she had missed completing.
Other TikTokers were understandably blown away by the professor’s thoughtfulness.
This professor’s reaction to a tragedy is what we would all hope for if we were in that situation, but it’s definitely not always the reality. Commenters shared how impressed they were with his kindness. One told Venus it was “your dad speaking to you through him.”
Another advised her to take note of this treatment, saying, “He just showed you your first example of the kind of people you’re gonna need around the rest of your life.” A third sweetly noted it was “just a father talking to a hurting child.”
Others pointed out how unique this professor was in his field. “What a sweet, understanding professor. He deserves all the flowers in the world,” one said. A second added, “I wish more educators were this way.”
It’s important to treat people who are grieving with kindness, but the world isn’t really wired to act that way.
According to Harvard Health, there are some special measures to take when interacting with someone who is grieving. They noted that you can’t change how they feel, but your presence will go a long way. It’s also best to just go ahead and pitch in instead of asking if there’s some way you could help out. “That transfers the burden to the bereaved, and he or she may be reluctant to make a request,” they said.
Liza Summer | Pexels
We all know from personal experience that a lot of people don’t act this way, though. Psychology professor Ronald E. Riggio, PhD, said that it does feel like people are being less kind nowadays, and there are several reasons for that. He shared that our society has developed a culture of fear, a sense of resentment, and increased division.
Venus’ professor clearly followed the formula of being there for his student and helping in the ways that he could. It’s common for people to give in to the polarization and conflict affecting our society, but this professor knew he had an important job as an authority figure in her life. He made a lasting impression that she won’t soon forget.
Mary-Faith Martinez is a writer with a bachelor’s degree in English and Journalism who covers news, psychology, lifestyle, and human interest topics.
