“Dead Week” is not so dead

It's hectic weeks like this that make me ever so grateful that I have an opinion column.  Thus, it is time to really let the fiery redhead out and stop biting my tongue.

I love finals week.  That's right, you heard me correctly.  We get an entire week to study, no class, no obligations, and plenty of time.  But you know what I really hate?  The week BEFORE finals week.  Professors incessantly shove information down your throat like a Ronald McDonald force-feeding you with McClogged arteries.  Don't even try to catch your breath, because it won't happen.

In fact, I'm starting to believe that professors have formed some sort of alliance against the well being of college students.  Perhaps they enjoy the agonizing fear in students' eyes when they hand in an exam.  Or maybe they revel in the idea that students lock themselves in the library, coffee and chewed pen in hand, to reread their notes for the seventh time.  

But in all honesty, it's not the workload, nor the hour-crunch that drives my head into a wall.  It's those few professors that, with every bone in their body, demonically and disrespectfully belittle students.  Now don't get me wrong, because I'm only speaking of the scant few professors that treat students like scum on the backside of a toilet.

As a high-honor student, I have experienced some very tough teachers.  Teachers that make you cry and bow down to their feet.  And in the end, you learn to love and respect them for their intense desire to make you learn.  Those educators are the ones who teach you how to succeed.

I understand that professors expect a lot out of us, we are college students and all, but there is a fine line between respectfully encouraging students and degrading their self-worth.  Case in point, I have witnessed a professor glare students down, roll eyes, scoff, etc. just because the students were late to class. I'm fully aware that this can be disruptive, but seriously, do they hate their job that much that you need to take it out on students? How is that even morally or ethically right? And the worst part about this whole thing, those professors are usually the ones that you never get an evaluation for.  But we all have our horror stories about professors-- some sexist, some unwilling to help, some grade assignments to the death.

I guess what I'm trying to say here is that, from one student to another, you are not alone.  Some people really do wake up on the wrong side of the bed, if not daily, and seek out to make your life a living nightmare.  

But instead of obsessing over that one professor that rubs us the wrong way, maybe we should embrace the ones that don't.  

So go ahead, thank a professor.  

Let them know, regardless if you enjoy the class or not, that they have truly made a difference in your life.  Besides, it's the season of giving.  

And although finals drive us more insane than usual, there's no need to be a grump-frump Scrooge and focus on the negatives.