Past and Future

Today I had lunch with one of my father's old Economics professors, whom I'd never met before. This professor is actually one of the two men (along with a Theater professor) responsible for the fact that my father is now an Economics professor (originally he wanted to become a stage director). I got to hear some great stories about when this professor knew my parents back when they went to UPS and told him all about what my sister and I are doing academically, etc. He said two things over the course of our conversation that really made me think. They are as follows:

1. "Well, we were young together."
   Context: I said that it was amazing that all of my parents' old professors who are still at UPS remember them so well. I said I thought they must have been memorable. His response was the above quote. It really amazed me to really think about what it must have been like for my parents' young professors to create these friendships with their students. It made me wonder whether or not I have any similar relationships with my current professors. I don't think I have anything near that level, because I didn't participate in an organization like the theater department, which is where my parents made most of their friends. However, it would be strange to stay in touch with people like Mita, and completely surreal (probably for both of us) if one of my children were to one day take a course from her. It really blows my mind.
   
   
2. "You'll make a good professor."
   This comment was so innocent, yet so knowing. I was talking about my studies in Literature and what I wanted to possibly do with my life, saying that I'd considered being a professor, teaching at the high school level, or maybe going into editing and/or publishing. Mike (the professor) asked me if I found analyzing literature to be detrimental to my enjoyment of books. I said that actually it increased my enjoyment, because the more I know about a piece (usually), the more I appreciate it. He looked at me almost mischievously and said the above. Honestly, that one sentence may have just decided the future course of my life. Out of all of the options I've considered, becoming an English professor just seems to fit me the best. I wouldn't be satisfied as a high school teacher because I wouldn't get to discuss interesting and controversial texts and/or interpretations, and editing/publishing just don't have enough to do with the literature I love. Now my only problem is the daunting competitiveness of the academic world. Will I be good enough to get into and get through the best English programs? Will I be able to do work in graduate school that will be impressive enough to land me a good job right out of school? Will I even be able to get a job at all in the area of the country I want to live in? The academic profession requires a certain amount of flexibility that at this point I'm not sure I possess. However, I'm prepared to move fairly far away for graduate school, and I'm trusting that that will work out for the best, so I just need to come to that same conclusion about my future career, whatever that is and wherever it may take me.

Phew. Amazing what a one-hour lunch meeting can do.