Letter to Anonymous

// October 5th, 2008 // Academic

Dear Anonymous Student,

When you wasted five minutes of the class’s time on the proper way address the guest professor who was filling in for the day, I did not mind. We all like a little curiosity. However, when - a few minutes later - you waved your hand in the air again interrupting the prof’s lecture, you got my attention. Our prof nodded to give you the chance to speak, at which point you proceeded on a full-out rant on how useless you thought this course was, how you failed to understand its real-life applications, and how you believed the textbook “got nowhere” in its “vagueness” after six chapters. The prof decided to push back his lecture and open a little discussion.

Then, Anonymous Student, we heard about your “extensive experience in managing” others as well as a detailed, play-by-play description of some interview you participated in for a company.  Furthermore, you stated that you are not convinced that this course would help you in the future, and that it was “almost like psychology”, and that because it lacked the quantitative precisions of disciplines like calculus, accounting, and other courses in your “background”, it is unworthy of the attention of academia (I paraphrase of course, though I believe I put it more eloquently, hmm?)

Anonymous Student, there were more than fifty other students in the room plus a professor who had a Doctorate on the subject and is renowned for his expertise in the field.  Although you had every right to voice your concerns about the curriculum, I can’t help but think that during a LECTURE by a GUEST might not have been the best place to do it. I commend the said professor for giving you unlimited floor time to talk and for appreciating your challenging questions. Though for me personally, I think I got your point the FIRST THREE TIMES you made it.

I’m sure there were people in the room who agreed with parts of what you said. I FOR ONE would be willing to listen to you after class or in a small group setting with the professor during office hours. However, the manner in which you presented your displeasure was completely unprofessional, inconsiderate and disrespectful.

With your confident - though slightly verbose - speaking abilities, I have no doubt that you will have success in future meetings with clients and employers. However, I couldn’t help but notice how VERY ironic it was when you said that you believed you were a “good manager” and that the course’s material paled in comparison to the experience you got from the real world. If there was one person who needed to take this course on management and motivation, it would be you.

Regrettably yours,

Me.

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10 Responses to “Letter to Anonymous”

  1. Ally says:
    October 5, 2008 at 2:17 pm

    If I had been the guest lecturer I would have been a bit miffed that Anonymous Student decided to take time out of class to tell me how useless the course I’m lecturing for is. I would have found it disrespectful and inconsiderate also and probably would have spoken to the student (after class) not necessarily for their comments but for the timing of such comments. I’m sure the student had some good points, but ranting about a class’ uselessness is more appropriate after class, not during class.

  2. carnation says:
    October 6, 2008 at 3:57 am

    i agree with you.anything the Anonymous Student does not agree with he/she should talk to the course managers. not insult the guest unless the guest speaker himself opened the opportunity … hmmm tough!

  3. Erin says:
    October 6, 2008 at 4:14 am

    As potentially valid Anonymous Student’s points may be, it certainly is not appropriate to rant in the middle of lecture. I suppose no one ever taught Anonymous Student to be respectful to guests and to have manners and tact, although he/she may have found that lesson in life to be “useless” too.

  4. Amanda says:
    October 18, 2008 at 5:02 pm

    He/she sounds like a total arsehole/bitch who likes to show off and waste other people’s time. It’s ridiculous the rest of you all have to suffer and miss out on what the guest lecturer would’ve had to say though :|

  5. Holly says:
    October 23, 2008 at 12:28 am

    Ugh. I have an Anonymous Student counterpart at uni too. Commonly known and blogged about as Angry Man! *shudder*

    I suppose some people never learn. Poor guest lecturer, that’s so rude!

  6. notedscholar says:
    October 30, 2008 at 9:06 am

    Interesting. Seems kind of annoying. However, I think it would be good to be as nice as possible to kids. They are trying to develop their creative faculties, and maybe raising his hand was this kid’s way of doing it.

  7. Spedman975 says:
    November 2, 2008 at 6:45 pm

    Hahaha! This reminds me of a time back in high school when we had a guest speaker for some special occasion, and one of the students then went up to her and explained exactly how many times she had repeated herself, the fact that he was timing her and that he didn’t approve of her wasting everybody’s time… Gotta love people like that!

    And don’t worry, there’s always one in every class!

  8. Minmin (Momo) says:
    November 12, 2008 at 12:35 pm

    Yes, there will also be someone like this … when I average my tuition fees between total lectures per year ( … they should ban people like these.

  9. Spencer says:
    November 24, 2008 at 8:36 pm

    Dude… that’s ridiculous. I hate it when during any class that happens. I’ve had it happen in studio classes where we’re actually all sitting and working, and in lecture classes like you had. Its never very helpful at all and there’s a proper time, place, and method to voice your concerns about things without disrupting everyone else.

  10. Brian James says:
    January 2, 2009 at 4:05 pm

    I’ve seen this in a few classes as well as a few parties.

    Being quite full of myself due to my perceived belief I have a large brain, I ask a simple question of these people.

    Maybe like: ‘Tell me. If you found a dog in your backyard you’d never seen, would you challenge it?’

    “No.”

    Then why the fuck are you doing it here?

    Or a favorite I use when they finish: ‘Well, opinions are like ass-holes. Everybody’s got one, and most of them stink.’

    They’re usually done after that.

    Read my blog, read my blog. I have no friends.

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