[Disclaimer: This article was originally published for April Fools’ Day, and it should not be interpreted as factual reporting.]
Students across campus reported Thursday that that morning in an introductory-level class, a first year student inadvertently called a professor “Mom.”
“He must have been feeling homesick or really tired or something,” said one of his classmates. “I remember that a bunch of times in elementary school kids accidentally did that, but that is not something I thought I would ever encounter in college.”
The student was apparently trying to get the professor’s attention when he somehow mistook the male professor for his own mother.
“I was looking at the blackboard, so I don’t know if I would have realized what was going on if the student hadn’t quickly corrected himself,” said the professor, who asked to remain anonymous.
“But the damage was already done,” said the professor. “Everybody heard what he had said and they laughed nervously. The student was bright red.”
“It was also really awkward for me,” the professor added. “I honestly have no clue how this happened, and my own kids at home call me Dad.”
Once the class ended, the student reportedly left the classroom as quickly as possible.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if he never came to that class again,” said one of his classmates.