Some Thoughts on Finals Week

Many things come to mind this week as I study my butt off for finals. Not the least of which are listed here.

"I'm so stressed about this final. I could be fine in this class except for this dumb teacher. If he hadn't given me a bad grade on that last assignment...he took off ten whole points because I turned it in late! And now I have to take the final. How dumb is that?"
So what you're saying is....you didn't do your work on time, turned it in late, and are mad because you got points taken off? This is college, be glad he even let you turn it in late! Most teachers would tell you to grow up and you should have turned it in on time! So shut your mouth and take the final like a big girl.

"Does anyone know how to do this thing in Word? Anybody?"
"No." "Nope, sorry." "Do what?" "No..."
"I'm gonna fail if I can't figure this out."
....
"Seriously y'all. This paper's due in two hours and I can't do it."
....
"Come on! I know ONE of you has to know how to do this!"
Lack of planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on mine. Also, guilt-tripping a room full of stressed out college kids who actually did prepare for their finals isn't going to earn you help. It's going to earn you ridicule, starting from my corner of the room.

"Guys, can you be quiet?! I was up all night studying because I haven't gone to class in like a month and now I really need to focus!"
It's two in the afternoon. If you were up all night, sorry. If you didn't go to class, sorry. If you think I'm going to treat my office like a library in the middle of the day (normal daylight hours?) because you didn't get your precious beauty sleep, think again.

Neediness is no more attractive in education than it is in a relationship. Once or twice, yeah, your friends will understand that you need help on this assignment or that project. However, if 3/4 of my interaction with you is you calling me away from what I'm doing to show you how to do something for the tenth time, then you're not going to be my favorite person. Especially if what you want my help with is a) common sense or b) something you would have learned in class if you had just paid attention. It's kinda like being the guy with the pickup truck when all your friends are moving. You like to help, but sometimes you have to remind people that you do in fact have a life that doesn't revolve around THEM.

And last but not least a word to the wise....

This is college, not kindergarten. If you think your teacher is going to bend over backwards to help you pass their class that you never go to and don't care about, then you've got another thing coming. This teacher has better and more important things to do than hold your hand like a five-year-old. If you were lazy all semester, deal with it. I'm lazy, I've been in trouble at finals time so I know what it feels like. But it's still your responsibility and no one else's. Learn how to handle yourself when things go bad, without whining to other people to change your grade, fix your schedule, write your paper, etc. Grow up and DEAL.