I Say This at the End of Every Semester…
I hear some of the most ridiculous excuses from students at this time of year. It’s like the last day of classes in the semester turns on the crazy. I’m only a TA right now [Adjunct faculty next semester! Whee!] but here is some sage advice:
- Read the syllabus. We don’t write that thing because we’re bored. That is the contract between you and the professor, the rules of engagement, or whatever you want to call it. We establish these things upfront to make your — and our — lives easier.
- If you have a question that isn’t addressed by the syllabus or course handouts, ask us. I have seen so many students not ask us questions that could have saved their grade on an assignment (or the whole semester). What do they do? Instead they’ll ask their friends in the class. That’s useful for sharing notes, but if you’re unclear about something, talk with the professor or the TA.
- Pick up your papers and/or read your feedback. Grading takes hours and is an emotionally/intellectually grueling process. When students don’t pick up their papers or use the feedback to improve subsequent assignments, it’s like pouring money down the drain. But hey, it’s your tuition.
- Be judicious with your email. And for crying out loud, keep it professional. Yes, we welcome your questions. But we are not a 24-hour chat line or tech support. If you see something unusual (like, you haven’t received a grade all semester long), don’t wait until the bitter end. This is why we have amazing technology such as email. With that in mind, remember that when you contact a professor or TA, we consider this our job. Don’t send us eighteen messages in a row with all-caps subject headers, “!!!1!s,” and so on. Here is a good start to writing an email to your professor or TA. (I will add that putting your course number in the subject line will also help, as we may teach multiple classes.)
- If you have to be excused from something, provide documentation. You wouldn’t try to return something at a retail store without the original receipt, right? Since education has become consumer-driven (sigh, don’t get me started), remember that we require documentation when you are sick, have to skip a class, and so on. It’s to keep everything on the up-and-up; at the end of the semester when we have to calculate this stuff, having the documentation is really useful for us! The policy will vary from professor to professor, so make sure to ask.
- Don’t wait until the last minute. For anything. Writing term papers at the last minute, asking for an extension in the 11th hour, walking in late to class — none of this actually helps. It makes you stressed, it may hurt your grade. Figure out a plan to keep track of your time and manage it properly (so that you can have more fun later).
I know that I’m not breaking any new territory here with these suggestions, but it never hurts to offer a reminder. And part of the college experience is fucking up — we know that because we’ve done it too — but it’s equally important to be responsible for your actions.
