Things You Won't Miss

[coyabean]

What's keeping me from snapping and setting a trash can on fire at my current school? The idea of being in a class with people who actually want to be there. I am surrounded by people who are almost belligerent in their contempt of the classroom. I get you are maybe here to please your parents, or this isn't a class in your major, or you'd rather be doing the stanky leg to the latest "song" by Wocka Flocka Who The Fvck Ever but could you at least PRETEND??? You know, at least turn the volume off on your phone so that as you do marathon texting I at least can't hear the beep-beep-beep? Or, if you're going to put in on vibrate maybe you could not put it on the desk so that when it goes off it sounds like a dentist drill gearing up for a root canal? Or, you could not get up and leave a half dozen times in an hour class to do whatever the hell it is y'all are doing?

I just want some adults who want to actually engage with the material. That's all!!! *tears*

It has been a very rough day.

[deleteuser_184321]

What's keeping me from snapping and setting a trash can on fire at my current school? The idea of being in a class with people who actually want to be there. I am surrounded by people who are almost belligerent in their contempt of the classroom. I get you are maybe here to please your parents, or this isn't a class in your major, or you'd rather be doing the stanky leg to the latest "song" by Wocka Flocka Who The Fvck Ever but could you at least PRETEND??? You know, at least turn the volume off on your phone so that as you do marathon texting I at least can't hear the beep-beep-beep? Or, if you're going to put in on vibrate maybe you could not put it on the desk so that when it goes off it sounds like a dentist drill gearing up for a root canal? Or, you could not get up and leave a half dozen times in an hour class to do whatever the hell it is y'all are doing?

I just want some adults who want to actually engage with the material. That's all!!! *tears*

It has been a very rough day.

For what it's worth, I can definitely relate to your experiences. My undergraduate is the love child of "Jersey Shore" and "FOX News."

[coyabean]

For what it's worth, I can definitely relate to your experiences. My undergraduate is the love child of "Jersey Shore" and "FOX News."

Wow, yours know a slanted version of the pretend news? Mine reside at the intersection of BET Spring Fling and The Real Housewives of Atlanta. No news anywhere in there. I'd settle for MTV News. Hell, I'd settle for E! News.

[pea-jay]

What's keeping me from snapping and setting a trash can on fire at my current school? The idea of being in a class with people who actually want to be there. I am surrounded by people who are almost belligerent in their contempt of the classroom. I get you are maybe here to please your parents, or this isn't a class in your major, or you'd rather be doing the stanky leg to the latest "song" by Wocka Flocka Who The Fvck Ever but could you at least PRETEND??? You know, at least turn the volume off on your phone so that as you do marathon texting I at least can't hear the beep-beep-beep? Or, if you're going to put in on vibrate maybe you could not put it on the desk so that when it goes off it sounds like a dentist drill gearing up for a root canal? Or, you could not get up and leave a half dozen times in an hour class to do whatever the hell it is y'all are doing?

I just want some adults who want to actually engage with the material. That's all!!! *tears*

It has been a very rough day.

Wow! Going to date myself but when I was a freshman in college only the rich kid's dads had the cell phone and it was the size of a brick and only could make PHONE CALLS. TXTing? LOL. Back then we passed notes. And no iPods either. Just one of these:

Try listening to one of those in class

Plus there were fewer of us as HS Grads still had some viable non-college career options and werent pressured into a 4-yr institution they werent a good fit for. Geez, I sound pretty fuNking old and pathetic now.

[poco_puffs]

What's keeping me from snapping and setting a trash can on fire at my current school? The idea of being in a class with people who actually want to be there. I am surrounded by people who are almost belligerent in their contempt of the classroom. I get you are maybe here to please your parents, or this isn't a class in your major, or you'd rather be doing the stanky leg to the latest "song" by Wocka Flocka Who The Fvck Ever but could you at least PRETEND??? You know, at least turn the volume off on your phone so that as you do marathon texting I at least can't hear the beep-beep-beep? Or, if you're going to put in on vibrate maybe you could not put it on the desk so that when it goes off it sounds like a dentist drill gearing up for a root canal? Or, you could not get up and leave a half dozen times in an hour class to do whatever the hell it is y'all are doing?

I just want some adults who want to actually engage with the material. That's all!!! *tears*

It has been a very rough day.

Agreed. I have often questioned myself on what I will do as a professor (someday) to keep shit like this in hand. My general position is this: students can waste their own time and their/parents money if they want. As soon as it distracts one other student who actualy gives half a flip about getting their money's worth, it's on.

As a student, I was never a fan of the overt embarassment some professors used on students with distracting and offensive habits, but in the end I preferred that approach to the head-in-the-sand method. I know the job gets stressful, and maybe cell phones etc seem like a small battle in the greater war, but I really wish some professors would stop class for 15 seconds and say something. Maybe I have unreasonably high hopes for myself, but I plan on being the avenging hammer of justice for all the years I had to suffer through some jackass playing a really annoying quiz/game on his laptop in the seat in front of me.

[ScreamingHairyArmadillo]

Maybe I have unreasonably high hopes for myself, but I plan on being the avenging hammer of justice for all the years I had to suffer through some jackass playing a really annoying quiz/game on his laptop in the seat in front of me.

This is exactly how I feel.

[UnlikelyGrad]

Yeah. yeah, I know. But it's a different kind of kissing ass: to respected professors, and not to irate customers who hate my exhibition and think I should die.

Well, sometimes you DON'T respect professors but have to suck up anyway...And then there's the administration which can be a real pain in the rear.

But still, I have to say it's far FAR better than working retail, fast food or slow food (waitressing)...

[coyabean]

Agreed. I have often questioned myself on what I will do as a professor (someday) to keep shit like this in hand. My general position is this: students can waste their own time and their/parents money if they want. As soon as it distracts one other student who actualy gives half a flip about getting their money's worth, it's on.

As a student, I was never a fan of the overt embarassment some professors used on students with distracting and offensive habits, but in the end I preferred that approach to the head-in-the-sand method. I know the job gets stressful, and maybe cell phones etc seem like a small battle in the greater war, but I really wish some professors would stop class for 15 seconds and say something. Maybe I have unreasonably high hopes for myself, but I plan on being the avenging hammer of justice for all the years I had to suffer through some jackass playing a really annoying quiz/game on his laptop in the seat in front of me.

I have considered my own pedagogy regarding this too (I used pedagogy!!!! LOL That tickles me). I'll start with myself. I hope to be an engaging, personable professor. I will work hard to be one.

After that? All bets are off. I'm thinking of some kind of sequestering system. Put the dead heads in on one side of the room to minimize their impact? Maybe try to encourage buy-in from the students so there's some peer pressure? Only I don't know that peer pressure works anymore. I really don't. The kids at my school don't seem to give a rat's ass about an evil stare or grumblings from their classmates. So maybe not that so much but I'll try.

After that I'm going to just be the quintessential hard ass. Which is very much not in my nature so I'm going to work on developing some mechanisms. But, something has to be done. I feel sorry for the students in class who are obviously too shy to speak up but who I can tell also don't appreciate the distractions.

[chickadee21]

As a student, I was never a fan of the overt embarassment some professors used on students with distracting and offensive habits, but in the end I preferred that approach to the head-in-the-sand method. I know the job gets stressful, and maybe cell phones etc seem like a small battle in the greater war, but I really wish some professors would stop class for 15 seconds and say something. Maybe I have unreasonably high hopes for myself, but I plan on being the avenging hammer of justice for all the years I had to suffer through some jackass playing a really annoying quiz/game on his laptop in the seat in front of me.

I can definitely sympathize. I'd like to think though that most of those students end up embarassing themselves and learning from their experience. One of my favorite memories from undergrad is from a dry econ class, 70 year old prof deep in the midst of the lecture...when in the back of the room someone's cell phone goes off with the ringtone..."Sexy Back" by Justin Timberlake. The entire class and professor laughed at him. I have a feeling he left his cell phone off in class after that.

[Riotbeard]

After asking our class to read like a hundred times (this was history 102). My professor did a pop-quiz at the beginning of class where he asked two question all within the first page or two of assigned reading. He then immediately graded them and kicked out more than half of the class for getting both right. I really liked my Undergrad Mentor, he was a bada$$ old man.

[ScreamingHairyArmadillo]

After asking our class to read like a hundred times (this was history 102). My professor did a pop-quiz at the beginning of class where he asked two question all within the first page or two of assigned reading. He then immediately graded them and kicked out more than half of the class for getting both right. I really liked my Undergrad Mentor, he was a bada$$ old man.

Do you mean for getting them wrong? Or did he take this as an indication that they only read the first two pages?

[Riotbeard]

<br />Do you mean for getting them wrong? Or did he take this as an indication that they only read the first two pages? <img src='http://forum.thegradcafe.com/public/style_emoticons/default/huh.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' /><br />

<br /><br /><br />

As an indication that they hadn't done the reading. It was after multiple lectures on why we should do our reading, etc. It was an easy common knowledge questoin. What event triggered WWI and where did it occur?

[rooster34]

My general position is this: students can waste their own time and their/parents money if they want. As soon as it distracts one other student who actualy gives half a flip about getting their money's worth, it's on.

Maybe I have unreasonably high hopes for myself, but I plan on being the avenging hammer of justice for all the years I had to suffer through some jackass playing a really annoying quiz/game on his laptop in the seat in front of me.

I couldn't agree more. I've been teaching for 5 years at a Public Ivy and I have zero tolerance for this kind of shit. I try to handle it via the syllabus as much as possible, but that doesn't always work. I have no problem, however, calling out some dipshit wannabe student for doing things that are inappropriate. There have been more than a few occasions where I've told a student that they cease the behavior or exit the classroom. I've never had a problem with confrontation. It probably helps that I teach math/stat and, for the most part, there is no way to justify having a laptop in class, I'm a 6'5" male, and that I spent 11 years in the military. The key is to be consistent and to put the smack down early. It is always easier to be a bit harsh up front and then ease up rather than the other way around (also good for parenting, btw!)

Good luck as you strive to become the "avenging hammer of justice"!

[jlee306]

I actually haven't been watching Lost this entire semester so now I get to catch up after exams. For hours at once.

I don't know how you cannot watch LOST! On Mondays, I'm like: "Ehhhhh, 1 day til Lost!!!" Then on Tuesday mornings, I'm like: "I can't wait wait til LOST comes on tonight!!!" (and then I start a countdown). Then after the show goes off, I'm like: "Ohhhhhhh, 1 week til LOST!!!" It's really bad!

But watching hours of LOST at once sounds like fun!!!

[BionicKris]

I will definitely not miss:

1. Working a crap job that requires no brain power whatsoever

2. Being given the stink eye for complaining about said job when I should be happy to even have one in this economy

3. watching the days tick by as my countdown to August 1, 2010 begins

4. Feeling like my 1 year away from school has leached away any and all Bio info that I so carefully imprinted onto my brain

5. Scrambling to come up with rent on the first because I only make pennies at both of my crap jobs.

I will most assuredly miss:

1. MY SO. He's boss!

2. Having time to play videogames, watch my prime time shows AND stay up reading all night in one day.

3. The sunshine and sweet tea of the south - I hate the cold weather of the midwest, but I love the school. And I'll never be able to order tea again and have the server automatically know that the sugar part is expected!

4. All of my friends and loved ones.

[Jae B.]

As a student, I was never a fan of the overt embarassment some professors used on students with distracting and offensive habits, but in the end I preferred that approach to the head-in-the-sand method. I know the job gets stressful, and maybe cell phones etc seem like a small battle in the greater war, but I really wish some professors would stop class for 15 seconds and say something. Maybe I have unreasonably high hopes for myself, but I plan on being the avenging hammer of justice for all the years I had to suffer through some jackass playing a really annoying quiz/game on his laptop in the seat in front of me.

My pet-peeves are when professors have eyed me suspiciously because I'm using a laptop, disallow laptops or sequester laptop-users in a corner because "you'll distract other students." There's nothing exciting going on on my screen, just note taking, so I expect the 19 or 20-something year old sitting behind me to grow up and put his or her eyes someplace they should be. That's their responsibility, not mine, so don't punish me.

If they are going to be distracted by my boring screen, professor, even if you make it go away, they'll still be daydreaming and either staring at a bird outside the window or a tiny speck of un-erased chalk left on the board.

My deal is, I use laptops for the right reasons, so I don't want to get punished on behalf of the Facebook surfers when I'm a good example! I've had more than one heart-to-heart with professors regarding this issue, and most have been receptive.

Additionally, I am a front row person, but I've actually invested in an electronic pen for all the times professors have forbidden laptops in the front row or period, so I can still put all my notes in one place on my laptop and create a searchable collection of notes. But it's still a big hassle for me because some people's behavior is spoiling a valuable resource.

I can definitely sympathize. I'd like to think though that most of those students end up embarassing themselves and learning from their experience. One of my favorite memories from undergrad is from a dry econ class, 70 year old prof deep in the midst of the lecture...when in the back of the room someone's cell phone goes off with the ringtone..."Sexy Back" by Justin Timberlake. The entire class and professor laughed at him. I have a feeling he left his cell phone off in class after that.

I loved it when a phone would go off with a really silly, distinctive ring tone like that, everyone laughed, the person apologized, and then five minutes later... It'd be like an SNL sketch.

At least twice I've seen someone flustered over their ringing reject the call but fumble turning the phone off, only to have it ring a second time while the whole class is watching them freak out. Ah, Blackberries....

I had one professor in undergrad who would absolutely tear someone a new one if their cell phone went off in class, and kick them out of class that day. No warnings other than on the first day of class (and assurances from students who'd had him before, "He really will..."), no second chances. Didn't matter who you were, how fast you turned it off, if you begged, cried, or if the whole class felt bad for you -- and this guy was so mean about cell phones, we always did feel bad for the person who forgot to turn theirs off. That said, I only remember it happening twice, which is unheard of for such a large class.... And he was an awesome professor, otherwise.

Edited May 4, 2010 by Jae B.

[coyabean]

I will most assuredly miss:

1. MY SO. He's boss!

I love that!!! LOL It's something I would totally say.

[poco_puffs]

My pet-peeves are when professors have eyed me suspiciously because I'm using a laptop, disallow laptops or sequester laptop-users in a corner because "you'll distract other students." There's nothing exciting going on on my screen, just note taking, so I expect the 19 or 20-something year old sitting behind me to grow up and put his or her eyes someplace they should be. That's their responsibility, not mine, so don't punish me.

If they are going to be distracted by my boring screen, professor, even if you make it go away, they'll still be daydreaming and either staring at a bird outside the window or a tiny speck of un-erased chalk left on the board.

My deal is, I use laptops for the right reasons, so I don't want to get punished on behalf of the Facebook surfers when I'm a good example! I've had more than one heart-to-heart with professors regarding this issue, and most have been receptive.

Additionally, I am a front row person, but I've actually invested in an electronic pen for all the times professors have forbidden laptops in the front row or period, so I can still put all my notes in one place on my laptop and create a searchable collection of notes. But it's still a big hassle for me because some people's behavior is spoiling a valuable resource.

See, I have no problem with people taking notes on their laptops. I think it's a great use of technology, and it works a lot better for some people. I, for one, type a lot faster than I can write by hand, so if I was more inclined to drag my lappy around I'd probably take hella notes. I really ONLY have a problem with the people who abuse the laptop policies to slack off and then, on top of everything, distract other people. Daydreaming or staring at a speck of dust is not nearly as distracting to a neighboring student as bright flashing colors or OMIGODIMSOWASTED facebook photos. (Sidenote: I daydream too. It happens. I'm not a Stepford Student who never daydreams)

If I asked a student what they have written a few lines before and they have obviously been taking notes, I'd probably never ever bother them again. If I ask a student what I said five minutes ago and they draw a complete blank because they've been playing The Impossible Quiz for the last forty minutes, I'll ask them to use their laptop for notes or shut it. If I see a student surrounded by four others who can't pay attention or are staring daggers because of something happening on the screen, I'm going to assume the laptop user is doing something unrelated to class. It's the distraction that's the issue, not the technology.

[Jae B.]

Daydreaming or staring at a speck of dust is not nearly as distracting to a neighboring student as bright flashing colors or OMIGODIMSOWASTED facebook photos. (Sidenote: I daydream too. It happens. I'm not a Stepford Student who never daydreams)

Oh no, I wasn't complaining about people daydreaming. I was complaining about professors who automatically blame it on laptops.

Frankly, people will stare are your laptop regardless of what's on it. Sometimes they're just bored, and unfortunately their eyes locked on the screen may become painfully obvious to a professor, who may blame the laptop user whether they are actually taking notes or playing Farmville. The person playing Farmville should be reprimanded, not someone taking notes. But I'm finding far too often professors forego all reprimanding and just ban laptops or force laptop users to sit in the back, alongside the wall, or clustered somewhere TAs can keep an eye on them.

Sometimes the student staring is totally legitimate; just reading your notes -- perhaps glancing to catch something they missed or feel they misheard. One friend of mine (who is learning English) had great difficulty understanding a professor's Russian accented-English, so she'd read notes off my screen and type them herself -- no harm in that. For a short time, I had another friend sitting by me in one course, who apparently read off my screen continually. He would whisper in my ear each time I misspelled a name. "It's Lippmann, double-n, m-a-n-n."

My point is, people who stare at laptops because they're bored -- when there's nothing "distracting", flashing or Facebook to see there -- will stare at something else if the laptops are absent. Arguably, staring at a laptop with on-track notes is better than staring out the window. So I agree that professors should, as you said, check with suspect laptop-users to make sure they're on track, but I don't think they should automatically ban or sequester laptops because of "distraction" in general.

Edited May 4, 2010 by Jae B.

[OffFrequency]

1. I wont miss defending myself for being a communication major

2. I wont miss anyone that considers them self a southerner (went to undergrad in FL - amazing school, terrible classmates)

3. I wont miss undergraduate classes

4. I wont miss being an RA

5. I wont miss the people who are in college because they are socially conditioned to believe that they need to be there.

6. I wont miss classrooms with PC's that mutilate my keynote presentations.

7. I wont miss the drama

Hello Grad School!!!!!!!!

[Jae B.]

1. I wont miss defending myself for being a communication major

People picked on you for being a communications major? That's mean. How so? (I'm also a communications major.)

[PastHistory]

I won't miss the cell phone people. (I've had professors answer ringing cell phones in class just to humiliate the student. Made sure I turned mine off before those classes! I've also been in classes where people have actually answered their phones during lecture! )

I won't miss the Facebook/Twitter/My Space surfers pretending to take notes while the teacher is talking. (Hard to pretend you're still taking notes when the Black Eyed Peas starts blaring from your laptop )

I won't miss the nappers. Those people who show up, put their feet up on the chair in front of them, slump down in their seats and go to sleep. Why even show up?

I won't miss having to do group projects with students who believe the only reason to come to college is to party. Waste your own time and ruin your own grade, not mine.

[Infinite Monkeys]

I won't miss:

• English undergrad "students" who don't like reading.
• English grad students who think anyone not doing comp & rhetoric is of a lesser species not worth conversing with in a civil manner (Ew...you study literature and religion? Why??)
• Near-constant proselytizing by on- and off-campus Christian groups (Stop trying to convert me to a religion I already believe in, dangit).
• Family members constantly on me about how I'm going to be a professional student, I'll never have a "real" job, and how I'm getting degrees in not one but TWO useless subjects.
• Grading for four or more different faculty members per semester (this semester was light--only three).
• The bass-ackward policies of this university's insipid, I-radiate-uselessness student government organizations (grrr shorting me on travel reimbursement for NO GOOD REASON two years in a row, among other things--they made it clear that they didn't like dealing with the English Grad Student Association.)
• The parking. Oh heaven above me, the parking. If you drive, you better get to campus by the crack of dawn to get a space. If you have to walk through the lots or cross any roads, you better learn to duck and weave.
• The people who let doors slam in my face when they see me struggling with them while on crutches. It's like people major in rudeness here.
  I will miss:
  
  
  • My faculty mentors--one in Comparative Religion and two in English. At this point, they're like family. I think I spent more time with my thesis adviser than I did with most of my family members, come to think of it. Now I have to leave?
  • The coffee place all the English majors and faculty go to. Seriously, we have no fewer than five Starbucks places on campus (one full-service one), but our coffee place is a little tent-thing next to our building that serves fantastic drinks at good prices with people who not only remember you but what you like and dislike.
  • My specialists--do you know how long it took me to find an endocrinologist without issues? Ditto for my orthopedic surgeon.
  • My pets--they're staying here in OC with my folks.
  • My family members (most of the time), but at least I'm not that far away.
  • My friends--sure, we have all sorts of means of contact, but it's not the same as smart-assing your way through poetry class.

  Last, but by no means least:

• Sleep. I think I'll miss you most of all.
  

[natsteel]

I shall not miss:

1) The library being treated like a Starbucks, i.e. going to the "Quiet Study Area" of the library (which has signs saying "No Group Study Allowed") and being surrounded by groups of noisy "students" "studying."

2) Only having, on average, one or two other students in each class who actually cares about the class or their work, in general.

3) Dealing with dumb-downed coursework.

4) The traveling (special situation).

5) The daily fashion show.

6) Standing on line to print something out in a computer lab because half of the computers are taken up by people watching Kung Fu videos on YouTube or using Facebook.

7) Being surrounded by 20 year olds (I am 34.)

8) Being "paid" twice a year.

I shall miss:

1) My mentors.

2) My department.

3) The fact that the overriding mediocrity makes me look far better than I actually am.

[elunia]

I had a prof who charged students $5 if their phones went off in class, and then gave it to charity. I thought it was a good solution, and it only happened about twice a semester.

This is a tough thread, I think I'll miss most stuff here! But I won't miss: a 9-5 job, commuting at rush hour, NYC prices, slushy cold winters.

But I WILL miss: my boyfriend, my family, my friends, my co-workers, NYC! I'm actually so bummed about moving away it's putting a damper on my enthusiasm for going off to school, though it's what I've wanted for so long....