It is nearly the end of my first year at university, and I am 20 years old. I am also two months pregnant, but at this point nobody knows it except me. It hasn’t started to show.
Being primarily a music school, the college doesn’t have a big IT department. Computer support is provided by a small department of mostly middle aged men, who have a habit of staring at your tits while you talk. For the most part, I keep well clear.
But they have an assistant, part time – a computing PhD student from the science university next door. His name is Ben and he’s first year PhD, so around 22 – a couple of years older than me.
I’ve seen Ben a couple of times, helping people out in our computer room, and setting things up before lectures. He’s medium height, pale, slightly podgy, with bad geeky clothes. Nothing to make a girl look twice, in other words – a typical geek. But watching him help out over the course of the year, I find I actually do look twice, and see a bit more than the geeky exterior. When he helps people with their IT problems he is kind, patient and knowledgeable. He answers questions politely, without the condescending lectures of his colleagues, and when he smiles his face looks – for want of a better description – kind. Over the year he has helped me out a couple of times with minor problems, always solving them quickly, and despite his evident shyness he is well liked by everyone in my year. Read more »