What’s My Age Again?

Allah fashioned the human, as well as every type of creature, to naturally interact with similar creatures. The closer these two creatures are, the more they will interact and become similar to each other in their manners and characteristics, to the point that one would be unable to distinguish between them except in terms of their physical appearance. –ibn Taymiyyah

Consider my interaction with high school girls.  Now on a regular basis we have a very, “I’m the teacher, you’re the student” kind of relationship.  I give them homework, they do it, turn it in to me, I grade it and turn it back to them, we rinse and repeat if desired.  That’s our daily routine.  But every once in a while, I’m given the opportunity to hang out with the girls, away from the instruction, and be with them when they aren’t students, but just… girls.

Yesterday at work we had our Eid celebration which included the girls going bowling and then to Old Country Barf-fest.  When we first got to the bowling alley, I was pretty calm and chill, sitting with the other teachers and acting “my age.”  After a while I got kinda… I don’t want to say bored, but I guess fidgety.  So I hopped up off my seat to go mingle with my students.  I figured now was the perfect time to get to know them, outside of the classroom, away from all the homeworulerk, quizzes, tests and disciplining.

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