After months of trying, shilling, selling and convincing. Finally! I have gotten my first student to post. It was one of the best feelings, finally seeing two of them take the first step to post. Despite me starting off with more than 10 students, having two students really jumping straight into Steemit is a good enough for me as an educator.
The Big Deal
Having one of my students deciding to join Steemit is akin to getting students in a class to take a course without any extra credit. I am sure any teacher could atest to the difficulty in this. The moment you ask students to do something without any real benefit, most of them would give you the look. You know, that 'what's in it for me' look.
I know, you'll be wondering how can I compare Steemit to doing homework without any credit? Throughout the process of shilling and promoting Steemit to all of my students, I tried to see things from their point of view. Upon talking from them, I get a sense that Steemit seemed like an extra homework for them. These students have just entered into college and they are still trying to adapt to this new chapter of their life.
This new chapter, in their opinion, consists mainly of not screwing up their exams and studies. However, out of the blue, this really weird lecturer came along and spoke to them about a really dodgy platform that pays for one's content. I would be excited, but skeptical as well. Thus, seeing two of my students jump on board is not small feat and thus a great win for me.
What Makes The Posts Great
Now, on to the next part that blows me away. Oh by the way, I got so excited that I did not introduce both these new Steemians. They are 
As I have mentioned earlier, these students have just entered into college and they are having their very first taste of college exams. Most of them are freaking out, thinking that this new exam is going to be some weird hunger games like exam. It is not, we subscribe to pen and paper tests. But you get what I mean. It is rather daunting and stressful and they can't afford to fail. That's because failing would result in them losing their scholarship and be forced to pay back a penalty. The stakes are high and yet, here they are taking their first chance with Steemit. They could post during the semester break but to even start posting before the break, shows that they believe and are genuinely excited about Steemit.
Conclusion
One of the best feelings a teacher can see is not just seeing the students succeed but seeing them take the first step. One of the very few awesome moments in my career involves students who have given up in studies and students with hydrophobia. It is truly magical seeing demotivate students giving studying another try, stepping out of their defeat and to confront it. It is awesome seeing a child, haunted by the fear of water but willing to jump forward to try and swim. They do that because they take your word for it and trust that you have their best interest at heart.
So, if you have the time and you like my ramblings of how excited I am, do drop by their posts:
https://steemit.com/introduceyourself/@tendarama/my-steemit-journey-starts-here
https://steemit.com/history/@tendarama/malaysia-s-loch-ness-monster
https://steemit.com/introduceyourself/@cikgumirzarazak/hello-steemit-mirza-from-malaysia
https://steemit.com/life/@cikgumirzarazak/leaving-my-comfort-zone
Do welcome them to this awesome community and platform. I hope you enjoy the post. Steem on!
