Wednesday, September 24

It's the Hard Knock Life

I am going to kill a girl in my biology class. We're having our first test on Thursday. Today, in the first 20 minutes of class she asked, "Can you please give us a study guide?" "Can you please tell us what to study?" "I have so many notes, more than 45 questions worth." "Can you just give us an example of a question you will ask?" "I am so confused. I don't know what to study." "There is just so much information." "Can you just give us an outline with all the stuff that will be covered on the test?" "Do we need to know this? Is this important."

YES EVERY SYLLABLE THE PROFESSOR UTTERS IS FUCKING IMPORTANT FRESHMAN HOW ABOUT STUDYING YOUR DAMNED NOTES NOW SHUT. UP.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Argh! These kids always killed me while I was in college. I loved the guides, but don't harrass the professor.

Mike Bailey said...

okay now, i'm a professor. i teach american politics.

and i should not admit this, but you voice here what i allow myself to think only in my most secret and darkest of thoughts.

so thank you. that felt really good.

most of my students are actually really well-mannered about this kind of thing, but there are a few kids each semester who inevitably see the class as somehow a personal insult for making their lives more difficult. but on balance, the students at my school are respectful and good citizens in the classroom.

btw, i distribute study guides to the students but i tell them that anything i assign in the readings or say in class is fair game for the exam. the study guide is only that--a guide. it is not a preview of the exam. at least that's what i say.