Picture a Greek king, condemned by the gods, who pushes a boulder up a steep mountain, only to see it tumble back down, time and again. A never-ending cycle of effort and failure. Ring a bell? Welcome to the world of an accounting and auditing teacher!

I’ve been at this noble pursuit since 2009.

Some days, it feels like I am the lead character in some sort of fanciful opera. What challenge do my students face?

It’s like trying to climb Mount Everest in flip-flops-an unlikely choice of footwear. The incessant learning and relearning? It is like trying to teach penguins to ice-skate ballet, an absolutely comical thing. I am determined to face this with a positive outlook. I resolve to keep an atmosphere of both humor and grit. But before you feel any sorry for me, let me share with you a secret: I absolutely adore it.

There is something inordinately rewarding about rendering accounting and auditing clear and rather remarkably even interesting. I find a wide range of interests in the fascinating field of Accounting and Auditing Principles and its application or ‘misapplication’ in real life.

Each student resembles a blank ledger page, and it is my responsibility to fill in the entries.

Of course, at times, I feel like I’m trying to explain the rules of cricket to a penguin. Eyes glaze, doodling in notebooks starts, and I discover my apparently fierce competition with smartphones and daydreams. But then, now and then, I catch a glimpse of that miracle-the aha moment. That exact instant a concept clicks. A student’s eyes light up as if they just cracked the Da Vinci Code of financial statements.

That’s the silver lining, that sweet spot, that “rolling the boulder to the top of the hill” kind of moment.

What about the view from the summit?

It’s just magnificent!

There’s a unique joy in witnessing that illuminating moment when a student finally comprehends a difficult concept. Or observing the pride that lights up their faces as they conquer a challenging problem. These are the moments that render all the efforts of boulder-pushing invaluable. It’s akin to reaching the peak of Everest, planting your flag, and reflecting, “I helped them get here. I made a difference.”

But teaching accounting and auditing is a lot like Sisyphus because even with the best of efforts, it is often an unrewarding task. There are new challenges every day, new chances to inspire, and the perfect accounting pun. After over 14 years in this profession, I have plenty of those ready to spill. Cheers to all my fellow instructors of accounting and auditing out there. We are moving those boulders and lighting those light bulbs of understanding one at a time. We tackle one nuance of the Generally Accepted Accounting Principles at a time. As Sisyphus himself, the way I always want to believe he would have said it, “Just keep rolling with it!

As I write my very first welcome blog, I’d like to extend a warm invitation to come again soon. Watch for more posts over the coming weeks. We’ll explore this interesting world of accounting and auditing one funny story, one great analogy at a time. Keep on balancing those books and rocking those audits until next time. Remember, in accounting, it is all about the balance; however, in teaching accounting, it is all about the journey-even though such a journey at times can feel like an audit of one’s patience and perseverance that literally never seems to end. Here’s to the thrilling journey ahead, my friends!