When Mentorship Meets Misunderstanding: A Cosmic Clash in the Classroom

Today was supposed to be a celebration. My former student, now a high school senior, came to visit me at the university observatory where I teach. She’s the one who started the astronomy club at her school, the one who interned at NASA, Cal Tech, and Yale. We’ve always shared a bond over the stars. But today, as she told me about her Yale acceptance, something felt off. She mentioned in passing that she credited me in her interview, but then hesitated. I pressed her, and she confessed: during her club’s last project, she felt I hadn’t supported her enough. She said my feedback was too harsh, that I doubted her vision. I was stunned—my intention was to push her to greatness, not to make her feel small. My pride turned to confusion, then to frustration. Had I failed her? We sat in silence, the universe suddenly feeling much bigger. I asked her how I could do better. She said, “Just listen more.” Maybe that’s the real lesson in the stars. 🌌😵‍💫 What would you have done in my place? #Mentorship #Education #StudentSuccess #Astrophysics #EmotionalGrowth