Friday, March 6, 2009

Followup to the College Rant


Two things first: I don't like this feeling as if I've come off as a "complainer" and thanks for all of the comments (on here, through twitter and in real life).

In respect to the first point: people who complain and do nothing about their issues are worthless. You're complaining because you don't like something, so it is your duty to change it. Here's what I'm doing to correct my grievances:

1) Talking to the teachers involved and explaining my concerns.
This seems to be the most difficult thing to do in my position. I'm on the cusp of graduation. All I have to do is make it through 2 more months and I'm home free with this step in my education. If I manage to thoroughly piss off my professors, then I would be placing my graduation at risk. Of the classes I'm in currently, the grading is quite subjective, i.e. speeches and essays. Getting on the bad side of a professor could be a bad idea, depending on the moral characteristics the teacher has. I could either be appreciated for bringing up concerns or demoted to the ranks of asshole and create some sort of vendetta against myself. If the teacher proves to be morally weak, then the vendetta would almost possibly result in me receiving a failing or less than desired grade.

Looking from the side of the teacher, why would I listen to some 25 year old college dropout / drop-back-in? I don't know that I've proved my worth as an adviser, one capable of providing sound advice considering my past actions. This worries me greatly not only with respect to college, but with future employers. I don't hide anything and, in fact, I feel that I'm quite honest about my experiences, therefore I cannot give too much thought about it. I'd much rather enjoy working with people who are accepting of my qualities and look at what I can do today, not what I did yesterday anyways. Again this comes back to the moral characteristics of the teacher and the decision on how to handle my objections is solely in his or her hands.

2) Realizing that I'm learning something, even though it may not be how I want to do it.
This is the most important part I think. In my life, there's been a number of things that happened that I didn't want to happen. I'm talking about major life changing events, specifically the death of my parents and sizable lost monies from bad investments. Going through these rather heavy events has given me the courage to accept that not everything is good but, depending on your perception, it can be of great wealth. It is your perception of these curve-balls that helps define your resilience and moral resolution. My perception of this teachers gift of irritation is to understand not to do these things. If it's a presentation I'm giving, don't read off the slides. Use the medium to communicate your ideas in a different way that may appeal to others who don't like to listen to speakers. If it's being late, understand that when I'm late, I'm preventing other people from completing their tasks for the day. Chances are that the meeting between you and me not the most important event of your week. I am making notes of these things that I'm being irritated by in a notebook and thinking about when I did the same thing and how I can correct it.

Please consider this rebuttal to my own post as advice and a journal entry for future self reference. Try to make something positive out of everything, even if its already positive. It can only get better. The one word that seems to sum up what I'm thinking?

Perception.

2 comments:

  1. 1) Just bite your lip and graduate! Trust me you will not care once you are done with School.

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  2. The problem I have with biting my lip is that it feels like I'm selling myself short and others who will have this teacher. I have no obligation to them, but something says that I'd rather students have a better education at Auburn than a worse. If anything, I'll chalk it up to my desire to promote Auburn as a high level university which will make my diploma worth more.

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