I am going to try to focus my Hub a bit more on the life of a college student, perhaps educating those naive parents who think the worst (or the best). And maybe some teachers can even gain some knowledge about what is going on in their students’ heads. This is a trial run, but my goal is to post some daily experiences along with stereotypes and such of college. So here goes!
I started the day with a 9:30 Spanish class. Now, if you’re a morning person, that would be just fine. I, however, am not. Generally, events before 11:00 don’t agree with me. To make the matter even worse, this is an introduction to Hispanic literature course. Literature is not my thing. To say the least. I cannot make a proper interpretation to save my life. I’m sure my lack of skills in this department could be accommodated if the teacher realized I was having issues. But I don’t think he does. He seems rather oblivious to life. Yes, life. All of it. He doesn’t answer his email ever, so I can’t communicate with him a whole lot. Not to mention, it’s getting colder so I’m less likely to walk to his office to talk to him. But, teachers: it’s a very important thing to be able to read your students, as I’m sure you know. (I’m just saying this because apparently my professor missed that lesson in teacher school.) I never have a clue of what’s going on and I don’t think everyone else is doing too hot either, but the teacher does not seem to know. Or maybe he just doesn’t mind. He’s a nice guy, don’t get me wrong. But I’m not sure that I’ve acquired knowledge of Hispanic literature this semester.
Then, I move onto my Drawing I class at 11:30, which lasts until about 1:20. Overall, I’m glad I took it, but it does have its frustrations. For one, we have been doing the same thing for the past 2-3 weeks. He tells us to set up our own still life and draw. No direction on technique or how to arrange our composition. I could do this at home for all the benefit I’m getting out of this kind of teaching. Secondly, he put so many materials on our supply list at the beginning of the semester, which is fine, considering it’s a drawing class aimed at developing technique with different mediums. But what I’m a little irked about is the fact that I haven’t touched some of those materials and it doesn’t look like I’m going to. Or the fact that he’ll tell us to buy a certain supply, but then when it’s time to use it in class, he’ll say “Oh, don’t buy the expensive black kind; get this cheaper red version.” Or “You don’t need a whole roll of that expensive linen tape; you can go in on a roll with 2-3 other students.” Seriously? Why was that not specified on the supply list before I went and spent $200 on all this stuff? I think that is one of college students’ biggest pet peeves: being made to buy supplies or textbooks that we don’t need. Teachers, please keep in mind, we are poor. Well, most of us are. We can’t afford to be shelling out all this money for useless things. Sure, I’ll buy a textbook if we’re going to need it, but I hate when I have to spend $150 on a book customized specifically for my university, we end up using about a third of it, and then the university bookstore won’t buy it back. What? I literally can sell this nowhere else. Overwhelmingly frustrating.
After this I go to my Japanese II class at 1:30. I don’t know that I feel smarter than when I’m in this class. Is it wrong of me to say I think it’s in my blood, given that I’m half-Japanese and all? Because I think it is. Or I have an affinity for languages. Or both. But I am picking this stuff up super quick and I love it. The teacher always volunteers me to try stringing together long, complicated sentences. A part of me does not like being the class guinea pig, but another part relishes the challenge and the chance to prove my abilities. However, a very frustrating aspect of this class is the fact that we learn a grammar point and then don’t use it anymore once we move onto the next lesson. This is also another aggravation of us students. I hate learning something that we don’t use later. Or something that we don’t practice for the rest of the semester, but are then expected to be able to recall it without flaw on the final. Especially for a language, this is not how learning works, FYI.
Sometimes teachers confuse me. But hopefully I can help teachers and students develop better methods for surviving college.
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