As a relatively young and new instructor (26 years old, 2 years of experience), avoiding becoming a "pal" is something I believe I need to work on. Since I am closer in age to the students, it is easy to fall into that trap. Otherwise, I am very excited to share my passion for my subject with my students, and I always get feedback saying that students love my enthusiasm and it makes them actually want to learn. Hearing that always makes me feel like I am doing something right!
