Office Hours: An Everyday Partnership
Written by Grace Canlas
Philosophy. Animal crackers. Basketball. What do these three things have in common? Well, not much. . . unless it’s 3:30 on a Monday afternoon.
After finishing an assigned reading for my Western Philosophical Tradition class, I spent the following four days intellectually wrestling with Irish philosopher George Berkeley’s idealism. In my anguish, I decided to seek insight from my philosophy professor Dr. Tom Burke. I sent him a quick email asking if I could meet him for office hours at 3:30 that Monday afternoon and was relieved to hear that he was available.
After my last class of the day, I raced over to his office with my list of questions. Dr. Burke graciously took the time to expound upon Berkeley’s philosophy for me, providing multiple analogies and examples in an attempt to better explain the concepts with which I was struggling. He talked patiently with me until the light bulb in my brain finally went off (which definitely took a couple of tries). Dr. Burke then recommended some additional readings he thought I might find interesting and helpful relating to George Berkeley and his philosophy.
My brain was slightly exhausted after deliberating over Berkeley and idealism, but out of the blue Dr. Burke offered me some animal crackers. I greatly appreciated the little snack and thoughtful gesture. Dr. Burke then asked me how I was adjusting to Hillsdale as a freshman. I told him my studies had been hard, but good and fulfilling work. I explained that I had specifically enjoyed the ways in which my Western Philosophical Tradition and Western Heritage classes often overlapped, allowing me to connect the two disciplines and understand each more deeply. We then discussed how philosophy is integrated into every subject of study, such as politics (political philosophy) and theology (philosophy of religion), highlighting the value of the liberal arts.
After our conversation, I told Dr. Burke that I was planning to attend the Chargers’ basketball game that upcoming Thursday after philosophy class. We then spiraled into an exciting conversation about basketball while snacking on animal crackers. Dr. Burke gave me a brief history of the Chargers’ basketball team and the inside scoop on this season’s team.
This is what college was designed to be—a partnership. Countless times I have sat across from my professors during office hours to get advice on upcoming essays, help with challenging concepts, and ideas for potential careers. Hillsdale professors seek to partner with their students as they strive toward becoming more well-rounded individuals.
Grace Canlas, ’27, is a prospective English major and military history and grand strategy minor. When not studying in the library, she can be found practicing martial arts or laughing with her family and friends.
Published in January 2024