School is Awful

[MSUFan]

So here it is 3:20 and I've been working on my Biochem notebook for about 7 hours now. It just makes me wonder what exactly all this is good for. My schedule tomorrow looks like this- hopefully finish my notebook and then study for a Environmental Geochemistry Exam all while going to Biochem lab for 5 hrs. I did awful on the first exam because frankly the professor doesn't teach at all. Some guys get away with it, because you can read the book and figure it out, but this guy just talks about his favorite beer and how much fun it was to sample Groundwater in Macedonia. Fun stories, but not cool when you pull 33% on the exam.

I keep looking around for answers about my Biochemistry classes in which the professors have their heads so far up their you know whats, to even come down to Earth to answer questions in a normal fashion without making you feel like ignorant moron. I turned in one lab report in which I put in roughly 20 hours to and did what I would feel a sufficient job. I ended up scoring a 135/250 on the report. I asked why this happened and I simply got "you didn't do it right". Wow, that is the most helpful thing I could ever hear. I understand college is hard, but there comes a point where expectations are just a joke. Professor that expect their class to be the only ones they have, professors that completely belittle you and make you feel so awful about yourself. It's amazing that professors can be allowed to call themselves shapers of the youth of America. There really hasn't been professor that has really impacted my three years in college, besides my boss. I guess I'm ranting, I guess it's late, but honestly someone tell me it's gonna be ok and that I really don't suck that bad, cause most of the time I feel like nothing I do is the correct answer.

[billybob476]

I fully understand where you're coming from. When I was doing my undergrad in CompSci I had times like this.

There was System Software, where class averages for midterms were 35%, I got a 54% and felt good compared to most other people. In the same class I literally spent every waking hour for 2 weeks in the computer labs doing an assignment that I ended up getting a 60 on.

Data Structures class where no one, and I mean NO ONE was able to finish the final exam.

Networking where the professor wouldn't show up half the time because he was away at conferences so we basically had to teach ourselves the course.

Thing is, a lot of professors aren't at schools to teach classes, they are there to do their research. Teaching classes is a generally unwanted requirement of their positions. It really truly does suck. Don't get me wrong, I've had some awesome profs, but there are definitely horrible ones out there.

But you know what? It's worth it in the end. You'll get through, graduate and move on with your life (either through getting a job, grad school, etc). You'll feel proud of that diploma on your wall and the accomplishments afterward that are based on it. You'll hang out with your 'old college buddies' and talk about how this prof and that prof was a huge d-bag and you'll laugh.

So just remember, you DON'T suck, you ARE NOT stupid and most of the time professors have NO CLUE what the real world is like. School can be tough and unfair, but you WILL get through it and I'm sure at the end of the day you will have done very well.

[Rico]

Well bud, I think you know how I feel but let me say that I had some rough classes up there at MSU too.  Especially calculus and a couple others.  I know that you are trying very hard and that's the most important thing.  I know you have done this, but try to get help from other students that might be able to explain things better if you can.  I'm sorry it's going this way for you but try to not let it get you down too much.  Also, make sure to not stay up too late and get some good rest as much as you can. 

One problem with professors is many are not really very good teachers.  I had two that I can recall that were very good.  I had a physics prof and my humanities prof that were great.  Good guys and great teachers.  So not a big percentage for me either.  Hang in there.

[moyer777]

Hang in there Steve.  You are very bright guy.  I'm sorry you have to go through this situation.  I have had some pretty lousy teachers too, but they are fewer than the good ones.  I agree with your dad and with Bilybobo...  You are smart, and have a lot going for you.. this is just and uncomfortable bump in the road.  Do your best, it's all you can do!

[jedijeff]

I know when I went to Post Secondary College, I had a few less then great teachers.

I had a Math Teacher, who looked to be in his seventies. Every class would basically be him putting up yellowed slides that he has probably used for 40 years, and then strolling out of the classroom for 5 to 10 minutes then return to switch slides and leave. At times students would point out mistakes, and he would say the slides were correct and had been using these slides for years. I suspect he gave that speech every semester. Definitely a guy who was just collecting a paycheck. I cant recall how I did in that class, I think it was average.

After a year of Pre Tech, I got into Computer Systems, and ran into a few weak Teachers as well. I had one teacher that was teaching computer basics. I think he was an Old Mainframe guy, as he did not know the first thing about PC's and Windows, and if someone asked him a question in a chapter we had not covered, he was clueless, as he had not read that far yet. This was all really basic stuff like using File Manager, and simple DOS commands and basic windows apps like Paint. I know one test he had some ambiguous question on it, and I got it wrong. A few of us when up to dispute it, and he told us to bad, except for one girl who was wearing a pair of tight pants that day, he marked hers a correct. I was pretty ticked off about it.

I had C programming course. We had an assignment to write a program, I can't recall what it was about, but I remember I worked late into the night on it. I had finished it and printed off the code. I did one final test and noticed a part was not working, so I corrected it, but did not get a chance to reprint the code. Well when I got it back, I got failed, as I had that error, I was really upset as he never ran my program. He just marked it off the printed code. I was pretty chocked.

I feel you pain Steve, it really hurts to put in the effort and get poor marks due to poor teachers. There are some really great teachers out there, that can really inspire you to be your best, but to bad there are weak ones as well.

I guess like they say, What does not kill you will only make you stronger. Sounds like you put in a lot of effort, so I am sure that will pay off in the following terms when you have better professors.

[ElfManDan]

I can surely relate, I spent almost the whole of my last week (two weeks ago) studying and doing homework, then throw in hours of work and all my I don't care about all this made it quite an irritation. Then to top it off when I actually do the test or assignment gets handed in it turns out horrible.

So I completely side with your belief that school is in fact awful.

[KingIsaacLinksr]

*shudders*  I feel your pain.  College is definitely difficult.  Keep going though.  I had some pretty bad profs myself.  What I hate is that as some have said before me, many are there just for research/money.  Its a real pity too...

King

[sheldor]

I remember hitting "the wall" my third year when I had to change my major and again the fourth year because of the quantum leap from factual to theoretical models.  I hated theory - prove the square root of n is irrational when n is prime.   Yeah, I can see that coming in handy when buying a house or changing the oil...

I remember a physics teacher from like Lithuania.  VERY strong accent - when he said omega, we thought he was saying "Oh my god" and we were like "Did I hear right"? 

I only remember a few bad apples - stats teacher was just plain nuts and one compsci teacher thought he was god almighty.

Hang in there - its just as hard in the real world but at least you get paid to deal with people like this.

Are you taking any blowoff classes like bowling, tennis, billiards?   They can help take the edge off.

I'm sure if BB goes all the way this weekend, that will help also   GO GREEN !!  GO WHITE !! :msu :msu

[alanp]

At your school, don't they have tutoring offices in each department where you can get help?  Where I went, upperclassmen were hired as student workers for most departments for that.  That helped me get through Biology.

[MSUFan]

I just said eff it and I'm turning in a piss poor notebook because I have to study for this other stupid class tomorrow.

Hours put in: 26

I'm gonna get so many points marked off and I don't give a shit.

[alanp]

Leave him a case of his favorite beer when you drop off the notebook.

[Meds]

You know these things come to challenge us, sometimes its easy to say ah f**k it but ultimately you know where your strengths are. There must be a help office or something and if not then go and complain to whoever is in charge. I'm not 100% sure how it works in the states but here there are a lot of help lines and on line help for students that are very good, if we have them I'm dead sure you'll have them. Failing that get your Dad to help you. Hope you have better luck mate and try not to let them get you down, there are plenty more challenges to come.

[MSUFan]

You know these things come to challenge us, sometimes its easy to say ah f**k it but ultimately you know where your strengths are. There must be a help office or something and if not then go and complain to whoever is in charge. I'm not 100% sure how it works in the states but here there are a lot of help lines and on line help for students that are very good, if we have them I'm dead sure you'll have them. Failing that get your Dad to help you. Hope you have better luck mate and try not to let them get you down, there are plenty more challenges to come.

HAH My Dad only wishes he was as smart as me =).

[Rico]

Ahh, I have taught him well!   ;)

[Meds]

LOL ;)