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What grinds our gears: Clueless students who argue with the prof

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Written by: Ben McGuinness, SFU Student

That one guy’s hand shoots up, even though a few seconds ago he was slouched in his chair scrolling through Instagram. The professor keeps using a term that he isn’t familiar with and wants her to explain it. He asks aggressively, treating the prof as if they had skipped over that important key term and sabotaged his chance at success in the class.

How could he have known that term? Well, he had three opportunities: He could have listened when the teacher discussed it two minutes prior, he could have done this week’s reading, or he could have just glanced at the syllabus. Alas, he was not so passionately invested until this very second. Stop the show, this guy cares now!

It’s not my business if you’re paying attention, and no one is always focused. But indignantly challenging the teacher after putting zero investment into the class wastes everyone’s time. Either you’re interrupting while I’m trying to listen, or you’re just making lecture take longer than it needs to.

Don’t “suddenly care” and interrupt things for everyone who was following. It’s your choice to care about this week’s lecture, and you misunderstanding something is not the same as an attack on your education.

 

Illustration by Jarielle Lim/The Peak
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Simon Fraser University’s independent student newspaper since 1965.

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© The Peak Publications Society

Simon Fraser University’s independent student newspaper since 1965.

For advertising inquiries: [email protected]
For promotional inquiries: [email protected]

© The Peak Publications Society