Olivia Taylor-Jones (readsomens) wrote in madisonvalley, @ 2017-02-10 09:48:00 |
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Entry tags: | !complete, !completed gdoc, !match-up, ~2017 february, ~50 points, ~~olivia taylor-jones (readsomens), ~~sydney sage (sage_lily) |
Who: Olivia & Sydney
What: Matchup!
Where: Olivia's Office at the University
When: Later today
Status: COMPLETE
Ratings: None
Sydney might have been home schooled for most of her life, but her education hadn’t suffered for it. In fact, by the time she’d gone to attend her first class, she was so far ahead of everyone that showing up had been just a formality.
Still, Sydney took her studies seriously, so despite having already gotten through the reading and written a first draft of her midterm paper, she wanted to make sure she had a firm grasp of the requirements of the paper. She didn’t want a misunderstanding to result in a lower grade.
“Miss Taylor-Jones,” she said after knocking on the professor’s door during office hours, “is this a good time?”
•••
Olivia was sitting behind her desk. The office looked like every other professor - a stack of papers, books and the like. Though, instead of chaos it was labeled and organized, just waiting for five minutes to be placed on shelves or in a cabinet. Olivia was, in a way, a little OCD about her organizing. It came with the lifestyle she’d had, and the one she’d learned.
Working in a law office had taught her to be organized and complete. It was a driving force and the fact she was missing Gabriel was not attributing to her tiny rebellion in not sorting it all right now. Not at all. She looked up at the knock at the door and smiled. “Come on in, Sydney, right?” she was still learning everyone’s names.
She’d already learned the slackers’ names. Sydney didn’t fit into that mold though. It made Olivia happy. “What can I do for you?” she gestured to the comfy chair across from her desk.
***
Sydney nodded crisply and stepped in. Unlike most of the students, who carried around backpacks, she was carrying a briefcase. And unlike the jeans and sweats that other students wore, she was dressed in a sedate beige suit that matched the walls of the office almost perfectly.
“I’ve finished the first draft of my paper,” she said. “And I was hoping you’d read my executive summary to ensure I’ve interpreted the requirements correctly.”
***
Olivia smiled a bit. “I would be happy to do so. Although I think out of all my students you have the least to be worried about.” she said lightly, impressed. Most of her students she wanted to bean over the head with a book and subject them to long readings and more. Sydney was intelligent and precise.
It was rather refreshing.
***
The compliment went right over Sydney’s head. She didn’t even register it - because she still did worry. It could be the difference between a 95% and a perfect mark, and she wasn’t going to risk it.
“All the same,” she said, pulling out the neatly printed sheets of paper to offer it to Olivia, “I appreciate it.”
***
Olivia took the offered sheets of paper as they were offered out. She sat back to look over them, and as she suspected the woman knew what she was doing. She flipped through them, though, to just go over the rest of them. She shook her head a bit as she laid them back on the desk.
“It looks good, Sydney. You’ve grasped the instructions correctly.” she didn’t add that she’d been the only person to seek her out to make sure. Everyone else? Hadn’t. “I look forward to the finished paper.”
**
Satisfied with the confirmation, Sydney took the papers back and filed them neatly in her briefcase before returning to the conversation at hand.
“Thank you. I appreciate, by the way, your inclusion of classics from non-western hemisphere cultures.”
***
“Well, my major was mostly Victorian Literature, so I tend to branch out a bit and enjoy introducing people to classics they might not have heard about, as well as some obscure ones.” she shrugged a little.
“I’m glad you like it. To be honest it’s my first class taught, I was on the track before this place happened but life got in the way.”
**
Sydney hadn’t really thought about the person behind the podium, or how experienced they might be. The professor had good insights and taught appropriately, and that was enough for her.
“You’re doing a fair job of it,” Sydney told her. “The pacing of your lectures is modulated, and the subject transitions are well-chosen.”
***
Olivia knew how to act before a crowd. She knew her stuff and that really was half the battle right there. She wanted to give her students the same education she'd had.
“Well, thank you.” She said with a smile. Professors were humans too. Mostly.
“Anything else I can do for you?”
***
“No, that’s all.” Having gotten what she’d come for, Sydney rose, taking her briefcase with her, and extended her hand. “Thank you. You were very helpful.”
**
Olivia took the hand, shaking it before she smiled and nodded. "Have a wonderful rest of your day, thank you for stopping by. Before she settled back into work.
***