Another ZTA Professor Dinner!

Zetas and their professors lining up for dinner!

It was Monday, and Zeta's Professor Dinner was that night. I had two tests and a paper to look forward to that week, not to mention I see my professor three times a week in class, and about once a week in office hours. 
By 5:30 pm that Monday night, I was drained. I looked at my roommate, whose teacher had canceled on her earlier that afternoon, and wished I could be lying in bed eating Goldfish, and watching Scandal, instead of refreshing my make up, throwing on cute beaded flats and making sure my black dress from pref night wasn’t dirty. “Dude, ya gotta go. The food is so good, seriously,” an older House girl mentioned. 

Our guest speaker on Professor Dinner Night

My teacher arrived fifteen minutes late, and at first I was slightly excited about the small talk, but soon after we got our plates, I realized she wasn’t the lecturing professor I endured three times a week. She was actually really interesting. She had been all over the world, had twin daughters that she liked to dress up, and her love for the class actually got me…. wait for it… kind of excited for Wednesday’s lecture. We talked about my major, of course, but she offered more insight and help than I thought for my future. She knew my essays and commented about my participation as a student. She had solid recommendations for classes and clubs around campus. This woman knew what she was doing, and not only that, but she loved doing it. My professor went from being “just a teacher”, to a cool human being. And I think that correlated perfectly with something the guest speaker at the dinner said: “Let life surprise you”. Zeta Tau Alpha’s semesterly Professor Dinner isn’t meant to be a punishment for points, but an opportunity for connection; to develop relationships with teachers outside the teacher – student environment. I wound up talking with my professor for fifteen minutes after the dinner party was released, and I didn’t mind at all! 
Professor Dinner is another awesome event that Zeta Tau Alpha uses to help its sororities grow in networking and involvement. The food is good, the speakers are funny, and really—the hour does not seem long. So take a step from your comfort zone and invite a professor—take advantage of the opportunity, and you’ll be glad ya did.

ZLAM!
Leigh Larson, PC '12

The living room was made into a dining room to accommodate our guests!