Teacher and student relationships are generally sources of great warmth and discussion and occasionally even friendship. However, it takes a different turn when students start developing feelings for their teachers.
It is almost like a rite of passage to pass through the feeling of being awestruck by your teacher. Your teacher is most likely a highly intelligent person (with a good dressing sense, probably) and can make esoteric concepts not just understandable but interesting for you. In such a case, it is easy to develop genuine admiration and love for your teacher. But what happens when you start having a crush on the same person?
First of all, it is important to remember that in most colleges, romantic relationships between teachers and students are illegal and would generally lead to the termination of both the parties (if found guilty). Such a relationship thus contains an element of toxicity. So, for all purposes, know that it is highly unlikely that you will end up marrying your teacher.
Having mentioned this, there have also been certain extraordinary instances where teachers and students have actually gotten together, stayed like that and even married. This does not presuppose that their love is any lesser than that of age-appropriate relationships. After all, age is just a number, right?
But, it is equally possible that the feelings you develop for your teacher is only because of your idea of him or her, and not because of the person. A teacher exerts enormous influence over a student’s life because, through him or her, the student gets exposed to different views and learns new ideas and theories. Praise lauded by teachers feels like an incentive to start working harder. Yet, it is like falling for your therapist: you actually have no real idea of who your teacher is until you actually spend some time alone with them. Teachers are like public figures, whom we put on pedestals. This means that we rarely know about their true self, their likes and dislikes, desires in life and so on. Teachers appear like a guardian angel to us and we start to depend on them immensely, especially when we are away from home. Their experience and guidance give us a sense of security.
Students for generations have waited in bated breath for their favourite teacher to come, worked extra-hard in their classes and lingered after class to have discussions with them. While this is all harmless and part of the process of attaining maturity, exploring other options is always a good idea. So, go out with your friends, exercise, listen to music, dance, cook, work hard (and not just in your crush’s subjects). These are healthy ways of not letting your teenage crush turn into an obsession.
So while you tenderly look for his face in the hallways and try to catch his eye in class, remember that if you just wait for a little while, there is always someone better around the corner. And while you do that, go ahead and stare at his cute dimples. They always make your days better. I understand.
Feature Image Credits: Pretty Little Liars via Freeform
Sara Sohail
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