Thursday, February 26, 2004
This is supposed to be the big time
I'm not used to getting my way, I'm not used to being babied, I'm not used to everyone changing the way they do things for my sake. I never thought that whining could get me anywhere, but apparently the squeaky wheels are the ones who get their way here in big time vet school.
We have a few whiners, granted, there are only a few, but unfortunately these few are very persistent, and they give our class a bad rep. So why do these same 4 or 5 people continue to cause a scene? Because whining works here.
So here are just a few examples of whining and the responses:
There are too many questions on the exam—how can we answer 50 (multiple choice) questions in 60 minutes?!?!Here: we get exams shortened, and even though our professor needed to leave on time for personal reasons, he extended the exam time by 20 minutes AND reduced the exam to only 30 questions.
In undergrad: we were told that exams were testing your ability to demonstrate your knowledge in a certain time frame; if you didn't finish the exam when time was called, that was tough shit for you. You learned to think through things more efficiently and manage your rime better for the next exam.
Can we move the quiz to a later date? We have an anatomy exam that day!Here: We just had a professor move a quiz to a later date
I remember in good old undergrad: we would have three exams and a research paper due all on the same day, from professors who didn;t know each other and didn't budge. If you thought you couldn’t handle it, you found a way to anyway.
You’re sitting in MY seat—what are you trying to do to us?
Here: a few people will actually lose it if someone is in "their" seat. One of these people yelled at me for breaking up her group and sitting in her seat. She continued to whine and glared over at me as I sat in her designated throne. (Unfortunately this whining worked, even with me; I don't go near that seat anymore)
in undergrad: no one would even think to claim a seat in a lecture hall. In third grade, maybe. . .
Why don't we just end this lecture now?Here: we’ve had professors end lecture 30 minutes early because students moan when the professor says, "alright, the next thing we want to talk about is. . ."
In undergrad: no one would DARE moan at a professor
If we're not allowed to face difficulties, if we're not allowed to fall on our faces once in a while, if professors cater to us and let us be rude, if we're not told to "shut your whiny traps and take it--this is the big time, kids," if the four or five squeaky wheels get to call the shots for the entire class, then how is this preparing anyone for the challenging world of 2nd and 3rd years here? (not to mention the world of veterinary medicine. . .)
