A not-so-short story

After so many attempts to find a professor who can help us with our statistical results from the SPSS, we finally found a kind soul - the current Research Method (RM) lecturer who took over from our previous lecturer. He is the lecturer of one of my FYP mates, CW, when he took RM a sem after WJ and I.

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This professor is a South Korean (sorry, he doesn't look like the actors you see in weepy Korean soap opera). He came to give WJ and I a lecture when the previous lecturer was on leave and seriously, we did not have a good impression of him because of how he made us keep quiet during the lecture.

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And 2 sem passed. WJ and I had never seen him again after that lecture which left us feeling irritated.

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It was after two attempts to schedule for an appropriate time to visit him in the office that we finally get to see him. We won't blame him of course, we are asking him for a favour. He did not have to make time for us since we are not his FYP students. What touched us more was that he sent sms personally to CW at about 5am in early morning to reschedule the meeting. He certainly did not wait till his office hour to help students.

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Walking up to his office at the scheduled time, we heard voices behind closed door. Someone speaking in lightly-accented English and voices of 2 girls in local accent. I quipped that it was like hearing Rain speaks English. CW went to knock on his door to make our presence known and he came back to to tell us what he saw from the slightly opened door. He said Prof no longer spot black hair! While waiting for him to finish his consultation with the 2 girls, we heard familiar terms - ANOVA, t-test and blah blah... All statistical terms. I bet he must be really busy this sem as almost all groups using SPSS will seek his help since the previous lecturer had left.

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I think I am too shock to say anything after seeing him close-up in office. Er... yes, his hair is dyed a copper tone and he must have traded his ah-chek style specs for a more youthful looking one. He looked so different from what I remember of him giving us lecture more than a year ago. He was so "uncle" then (if Prof Nam ever sees this, please forgive me! you really look more up-to-date now! I mean it).

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I think he gave the most effective and efficient consultation that I have ever had. He pointed out our mistakes and told us the reasons for them in like, no time? The best part was, he knew what we are doing without prior involvement in our research. And we understood his explanation! It was so to-the-point. So effortless on his part! It is either that we are too dumb or he is too clever. We were done in less than 15 min, with all doubts cleared, at least for now.

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Because of his excellent explaining ability and utmost willingness to help his students (even those that he doesn't even know), he becomes my idol. I aspire to be like him when I teach my students. Thank you so much, Prof Inwoo Nam! You are definitely one of the few lecturers on my "this prof knows how to teach" list.