<p>You can be compassionate to complete strangers. &nbsp;I do the same thing. &nbsp;It's easy for me to want to bond with my students be there for them and I think you shoud be. &nbsp;I realize now that being pals doens't work and at least for me I notice students will have less motivation to be right on time because they know we're "friends" and I won't get upset. &nbsp;My attempt at building trust and a safe zonein our lcass &nbsp;that they begin to to worry about being on time or turning things in late and it's completey my fault for trying to be "friends"&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p>