adjuncthell: the party's over...

Tuesday, August 07, 2007

the party's over...

Er, that is, summer is, at least. Alas, back in the office the other day to get my bearings and will be there a good bit the rest of the week, even tho I can do most of my online and coursework from home. Have some final exam fallout from spring to clean up plus sometimes I just work better there, plus I need to get with our language lab director about some Blackboard questions, plus maybe if I spend some time at school this week it won't be so painful going back, not such a shock...

One good thing is I have a new tool for office hours/student bitching/whining... The other night one of our friends was getting married (the next day) and said, "Wow, I'm just sitting here freaking out, wondering if I'm doing the right thing or am I making the biggest mistake of my life?" The best response from the group was Debbie's "There, there." We were laughing our heads off at that and then it dawned on me that might be my default response this year when various SOL students come in:

"I didn't get my online homework done on time."
"There, there."

or:
"I don't understand why my participation grade is so low."
"There, there."

or (my favorite):
"I don't think it's fair to have reading sections with new vocab on the test."
"There, there."

I could switch it up, I suppose, with a few "Bless your heart's." Everyone knows it means nothing and doesn't even necessarily include any real sympathy but for some reason it's perfectly wonderful as a comeback to someone's woes, gripes, whatever.

Anyway stay tuned; with the onslaught of the semester you're sure to have some gab on here. Who knows, maybe there will be some positive stuff to report this year... Crazy!

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The world is full of this kind of dumb smart-alec who doesn't understand anything.

- Richard Feynman  

I did not achieve this position in life by having some snot-nose punk leave my cheese out in the wind.

 - Ed Rooney, Ferris Bueller's Day Off by John Hughes

  Danny: I've gotta go to college.. I gotta. 

Webb: Aahh Danny... You don't have to go to college; this isn't Russia. Is this Russia? This isn't Russia is it? No, didn't think so..

 - Caddyshack  

Of course there's a lot of knowledge in universities: the freshmen bring a little in; the seniors don't take much away, so knowledge sort of accumulates.  

- A. Lawrence Lowell

  If you want to get laid, go to college. If you want an education, go to the library.  

- Frank Zappa  

In school, we had a policy of never studying unless it was absolutely necessary, and still got high-to-mediocre grades. This convinced us that we were smarter than the average citizen, and actually, we're still thinking that way.

 - Jo Ann Beard, "The Boys of My Youth," The Boys of My Youth  

  ...I hesitated; with the lack of self-knowledge I'd exhibit for years to come, I'd signed up for an eight o'clock class.

 - Melissa Bank, The Wonder Spot  

You can lead a boy to college, but you cannot make him think. - Elbert Hubbard

  ...Meanwhile, the Internet's booming, and kids we gave C pluses to are waltzing out of college and getting rich on stock options while we bust our asses for a pathetic stipend that doesn't even cover the rent.  

- Tom Perrotta, Little Children  

You have four years to be irresponsible here. Relax. Work is for people with jobs. You'll never remember class time, but you'll remember time you wasted hanging out with your friends. So, stay out late. Go out on a Tuesday with your friends when you have a paper due Wednesday. Spend money you don't have. Drink 'til sunrise. The work never ends, but college does.

 - Tom Petty  

Colleges are like old-age homes, except for the fact that more people die in colleges. 

- Bob Dylan  

DISCLAIMER: The rocker quotes here should be taken with a grain of salt accuracy-wise as they are taken from thinkexist where many a poor quotation has been faultily cited. If anyone has corrections I urge you to comment. I would be very happy to make changes.