Learning to Count Backwards

So, I was really excited about teaching my 300-level seminar. It's in my field of expertise and every colleague in my department wants to take the course from me.

The problem is the students.

First there were five.

But I announced during the first class that they would have to work hard in my class. And one student dropped.

Then there were four.

But another student decided that a poli-sci course would be better for hir application to law school and s/he dropped the course.

Then there were three.

Tomorrow is the final day to add/drop courses. And I received an email at 8 p.m. this evening that another student wants to drop my class: s/he has decided to change their minor in my field to a minor in another field. And, could I please give hir permission by 8 a.m. tomorrow morning? (Students need permission from the professor to drop at this point.)

That would leave me with two students. I'm not sure that I want to teach only two. And I'm afraid that the administration will cancel my course anyway.

The hardest thing is that I'm completely demoralized. Am I such a terrible teacher? Is what I specialize in so boring to the general population? Am I doomed to failure in my chosen career path? (Do students even realize that their profs are humans and have feelings, too?)

But my mentor (another prof in the department) had the same thing happen to her during her first semester here. So, I don't think that my colleagues will blame me.

But this counting backwards business really sucks.