Once in a Lifetime, Vol. II

In yesterday’s posting, I wrote mainly about my friends who have made my transition from Worst College Ever to The New School that much easier. After writing it, I thought to myself: What about the professors who have helped?

Although college is the time to learn and gather as much knowledge as possible in a four-year span, all that sometimes gets overshadowed by the relationships you’re making with people from all around the globe. So, I guess that’s why I forgot to mention any educators.

But without the following people, my initial year wouldn’t have been as profitable as it was:

Robert Levinson: The first professor that I ever wrote a story about for print and got into e-mail exchanges with. Part of that has to do with the class he taught, Discussing Dylan, but it’s also because he’s just a good guy who’s looking to make his way through the world. And although maybe people may mock our liking of Bob Dylan, if it makes this short life that much more enjoyable, I say to those people, “Screw you.”

Benjamin Hedin: This summer, I took a trio of classes and although I enjoyed all three, Hedin’s class, Watching the River Flow: Bob Dylan and the American Culture, was the most interesting. While Levinson’s class was focused around having guests come into the class and shoot the shit about Dylan, Hedin’s was more educational and included some music theory, something I wish I knew more of. Inside the class, he’d make ridiculous claims (U2’s War better than Revolver?!? Street Legal being a terrible album?!?) and outside, he was a good guy to get a beer with and talk about how much we hate our liking of Phish. If only he’d admit that New Morning has some value…

Robert Buchanan: The person many of us on the newspaper refer to as “The Manliest Man Ever” is also one of the most important teachers I’ve had in 15 years of being taught. When I graduate from college, I want to become a journalist, and that’s why I’m on The New School’s paper, Inprint. Although Rob’s official title is Senior Editor or something similar, he’s more of someone who will sit down with you and edit your story as much as possible. For instance, I remember during one closing, he stayed with one of the writers to work on her story for hours and hours. And this was on a Friday or Saturday night. There aren’t too many professors who would give up their free time to work on a school newspaper or, in another case, go out of their way to set up a rowing trip that included students. I’m, of course, referring to the Bruise Cruise and I’m pretty sure that I’m truthfully speaking for Peter and Nadia when I say that it was a blast. I could keep going on and on and on, but I’ll end by saying: Rob, you’re yatta.

I’ve also lucked out and gotten people like John Guinta in my Sociology of Popular Music class, who’s a Mets fan, so you know he’s a good guy; Adam Novy teaching First Year Writing and I still remember the day you came in talking about the Buffy Musical; and Ivan Raykoff for Music in Film, who is just one of the nicest guys you’ll ever meet.

Without the work of six professors, especially the first three, my first year at The New School wouldn’t have been enjoyable as it was.