Everyday, I spend at least an hour (and up to 6 hours) in front of an audience. I get up in front of a room of students and give a lecture or assist with labs. I also maintain office hours, which means that I interact with students one-on-one in a more private setting. Every day of the week I do this. And I love my job, but it does cost me.

I'm shy. Very shy. In college, I distinctly remember people attempting to kidnap me to attend parties that I didn't want to go to because there would be PEOPLE there. I also recall hiding under a table at a party to get some peace. (I found someone else there doing much the same thing. I love my friends.) When I was taking classes myself, I'd sit in the back of the room trying not to be noticed. (Doesn't work when you are the only female in a physics class. Sigh.) I cried before my first day in the classroom as a TA because I was so scared to get up in front of a room full of students. I can be social, but my greatest nightmare is being stuck in a room of strangers having to participate in meaningless and superficial conversation.

My classroom lectures aren't meaningless and superficial, really. But if you'd told me 10 years ago that I'd end up in a job which involved my being a focus of attention, I'd have said you were nuts.

So sometimes, when I walk into class and prepare to give a lecture, students might notice that I take a deep breath and steel myself for the job. Sometimes getting that first word out to draw their attention is really difficult. Sometimes I cannot bear the thought of so many people looking in my direction. But you know what? The students always make it worth the effort.