My most favorite way to bump into students in real life: When they are with their families, so I can confidently reassure the people who write tuition checks that their child or partner is going to become a wonderful, talented, bar-passing, gainfully employed attorney some day.
My least favorite running-into-students experiences: When I am in the express checkout lane at the supermarket and the only things in my cart are a six pack of beer and a big box of tampons.
–Ann Bartow
Some of my colleagues tell me that their least-favorite-place to encounter students is in the University gym. That doesn’t bother me so much, but maybe that’s because I’ve made my peace with not being in as good shape as folks twenty years younger than me.
The older and more decrepit I get, the less it bothers me. I used to be uncomfortable about using the University swimming pool with a bunch of 18 year olds, but I stopped caring a couple of years ago. Odd, I admit, but also helpful!