Lessons Learned From Mr. Freund

When I started college at 40 a little over a year ago, I began a journey that I should have taken at 18. It isn?t important why I delayed my education, just that I went ahead and began it. I chose Marketing as my major since I am interested in it and Journalism wasn?t offered at a 2 year college where I had to begin due to my past horrid grades.Mr. Freund was the first teacher of my first class, Intro to Marketing. I have had him for at least 1 class each quarter since I began, but often having him for 2 classes at a time. Last night was the last class that I will ever have with him. He is moving out of state and I am moving out of my marketing classes and into my core classes now. This all has me feeling sentimental and pondering the things that I have learned from someone who I now consider a friend and a mentor. So here they are, in no particular order:1. Do your best work ALL OF THE TIME. It has not been easy to start college after a 22 year break but I wanted to set an example for my teenagers. I also wanted to show a 4 year college that I am not the same student that I was at 18. I really paid attention to everything that Mr. Freund said and wanted to do a good job for him because he was giving me his best in the classroom. As a result, I have taken 17 classes thus far and have received A?s in every damn one of them.2. Don?t put up with bullshit, but extend grace when you can. At the beginning of each class when students are just starting their new quarters, Mr. Freund gives his ?Not my problem? speech. I always thought him very wise to let the students know up front that he expects them to take personal responsibility for turning their work in. If they wait until the last minute and then have difficulties with the computer, it?s too damn bad. If you don?t establish your standards in the beginning, there will always be a class of people (excuse-makers) who will give you elaborate stories of why they were not able to complete their work. This speech is for them. However, I have seen him truly listen to people who have valid problems and he doesn?t cling rigidly to his ?not my problem? mantra when he knows that there is a valid reason. I love him for telling people that excuses will not work, but I love him more for having the ability to see when he needs to bend those rules and work with someone.3. You don?t have to raise your voice to make your point. Okay, I already knew this from my experience as a mom. But Mr. Freund has shown me that it still works with adults. He is a slow talker and he keeps his voice at a normal level. When people are acting up in class (which is rare), he just needs to give them a look and they are suddenly filled with shame for disrupting him. (Or they should be). I?ve never heard him raise his voice because his demeanor commands respect.4. Go out of your way to help when you can. Mr. Freund has extended one favor after another to me each and every time I have asked. Whether it is writing a letter of recommendation for a scholarship or sending me a file that I lost on my flash drive, he is quick to help with a smile. What does he get in return? Nothing but my sincere and heartfelt appreciation.5. If you want to advance in a company, go where they want to send you. I don?t know if I will ever need this advice or not, but it makes me realize that flexibility is something that an employer values. For that matter, it is something that everyone values. It doesn?t always have to be my way or the highway. I can yield my will to others and consider their needs and interests ahead of my own.6. Don?t let a physical handicap keep you from living your best life. I have seen Mr. Freund struggle to write on the white board because he has some pretty bad tremors. From what ailment? I really don?t know. But I do know that whatever it is, he has found a way to work around it and it isn?t even an issue for him. He no longer writes on the white board but his Power Point presentations ROCK!  Whatever you think is going to keep you from your goal, you can find a way to get there despite your circumstances as long as you have the will to be successful.7. Nothing ventured, nothing ventured.  Mr. Freund has always encouraged his students to be brave about trying to do things and not let fear paralyze you and keep you from trying to take action to make your dreams come true.  So many people are too scared to lose that they just stay content working for someone else on their terms.  Failure isn't anything but a lesson to learn so that it brings your next attempt one step closer to success.  I am no longer full of self-doubt because I can see all along that he has been right.  Whenever I step out and start to do something out of my comfort zone, I end up being successful.  At the same time, new and unexpected opportunities end up in front of me.  Fear isn't anything for me to even consider now.  I can only succeed.I think about the teachers that I could have been learning under and I am so thankful and appreciative that I got Mr. Freund - someone that genuinely wants to impart wisdom and knowledge and invests himself in those who want to be invested in. Words can?t say how much I?m going to miss him but I can promise you one thing: as I go forward with my education, in my career and in my life, I am going to make him proud.

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