This semester is off to a terrible start... (Mostly a rant)

[MonkeySage]

I only have two classes, Physical Chemistry and Intro to Research. This is my second to last semester before I finally graduate (took me long enough...). My profs are pretty much opposites:

Physical Chemistry, he's often late for class, isn't always in his office during office hours, and I've been waiting since last week for him to post the practice exam he keeps saying he'll post. We have no real graded work beyond exams and lab reports, but the practice exam is for our benefit.

Intro to Research, he's no-nonsense, no excuses, everything on time and no make ups. Reasonable, except I have crappy memory and on this latest assignment I sent in homework we were assigned for a grade. I emailed it, as I was lead to believe he didn't want them written in pencil, and he got the email... A blank file. So he told me to resend it yesterday and he'd grade it then. But crappy memory plus a long drive home, I forgot to resend it, and I now have a zero on an assignment I technically turned in completed, but that he couldn't open.

If this is a preview of what the rest of the semester is going to be like, then I am not looking forward to it at all...

[darkrose50]

Go to the IT tech support people and inform them of the file error. If the IT tech support people can verify that the file is readable, then it is a win for you.

Talk to your teacher. If it is possible for the file to be corrupted, then let your teacher know that you do not want to deal with the flawed system. in class ask "should we not turn in homework online as it gets corrupted?" This may make the teacher think twice about his decision to be a pain in the ass, as having everything in one-place on the computer should be easier for him. Having everyone not use the computer submission method would likely be a pain in the ass.

Also you can ask if he wants you to hand in the homework via computer and as a physical copy. This setup would likely be annoying.

Remember to be polite, but also remember that your teachers have bosses. Remember that there are third parties to independently verify things.

[Peelee]

Go to the IT tech support people and inform them of the file error. If the IT tech support people can verify that the file is readable, then it is a win for you.

Do you mean moral or pyrrhic? Because if the professor couldn't read it, that grade ain't changing.

[darkrose50]

Do you mean moral or pyrrhic? Because if the professor couldn't read it, that grade ain't changing.

If the file was corrupted, then it is not the fault of the student. If the teacher does not have the program needed to open an approved file type, then it is not the fault of the student. Sometimes files get corrupted, and this should not be the fault of the student.

At work I receive file types that I cannot from customers every once in a while . . . like a picture of a drivers license created in some video editing software. So it could be the fault of the student, but I would verify.

[Iruka]

If the file was corrupted, then it is not the fault of the student. If the teacher does not have the program needed to open an approved file type, then it is not the fault of the student. Sometimes files get corrupted, and this should not be the fault of the student.

At work I receive file types that I cannot from customers every once in a while . . . like a picture of a drivers license created in some video editing software. So it could be the fault of the student, but I would verify.

The teacher gave a chance to correct the error, which was then missed.


@Monkeysage
Don't let the rocky start drag you down! You have enough time to make up for it.
In case of the strict professor, I'd recommend setting alarms on your phone to make sure you do not miss any dates and always make sure you got the required formalities correct.

[Peelee]

If the file was corrupted, then it is not the fault of the student.

...and? Because that's not going to get a mulligan.

[Rogar Demonblud]

Yeah, good notes are going to be your best friend with that teacher.

Not sure what to suggest about the other one. Maybe ask the department secretary about the practice exam.

[Keltest]

...and? Because that's not going to get a mulligan.

Yeah. The corruption wasn't his fault, and he got a legitimate second chance on it.. which he then forgot to do. It would be one thing if it got lost in transit again and the professor just got tired of trying to fix it, but this was just honest human error.

[Willie the Duck]

In case things are heading that way, I'm going to point out that the OP never stated that they thought that the prof was being unfair or that he deserved to get credit anyways, just that it happened and it's not making them look forward to the rest of the semester. Given the statement "before I finally graduate (took me long enough...)," we can assume that the OP is a fully grown individual, capable of taking responsibility for their own actions.

MonkeySage, sorry that the semester is off to a bad start. As others have said, a notebook or the like for memory would probably be a good idea. Whatever career said degree is going for will undoubtedly require a lot of organizational skills, so this is a great learning lesson. Who knows, maybe the 'under the gun' nature of being a 0-pt assignment behind in the second class will make you all the more diligent and you'll end the year with an A.

[Knaight]

The upside here is that P-Chem is a fascinating course. It was one of my favorite courses, and given how hard you bounced off O-Chem I suspect you'll be with me there.

[razorback]

For memory, most people have a smart phone. Turn on Siri or Google Assistant and just "Hey Siri/Google, set a reminder in X to do Y".

[MonkeySage]

So I got lucky! Went into Dr. S's (Intro teacher) class today, first thing when he arrived, he said to me: "You need to resend me that email."

Soon as class ended, I took my flashdrive to the computer room down the hall, plugged it in, and sent him the email twice, just to make sure he got it. Then went down to his office to make sure he got them, and that the files weren't blank this time.

[Willie the Duck]

So I got lucky! Went into Dr. S's (Intro teacher) class today, first thing when he arrived, he said to me: "You need to resend me that email."

Soon as class ended, I took my flashdrive to the computer room down the hall, plugged it in, and sent him the email twice, just to make sure he got it. Then went down to his office to make sure he got them, and that the files weren't blank this time.

Congratulations, good fortune indeed!

[Peelee]

So I got lucky! Went into Dr. S's (Intro teacher) class today, first thing when he arrived, he said to me: "You need to resend me that email."

Soon as class ended, I took my flashdrive to the computer room down the hall, plugged it in, and sent him the email twice, just to make sure he got it. Then went down to his office to make sure he got them, and that the files weren't blank this time.

That's awesome!

Also, in the unlikely event you haven't already figured this out, always sit in the front row and try to ask questions. Professors are more likely to stretch their necks out or give the benefit of the doubt to students they know are trying, and those are super easy ways to show it.

[Rogar Demonblud]

Also, it harder to drift off and daydream if you're right by the teacher. And there will be days when you want to do that.

[Peelee]

Front row has a ton of benefits, really.

[Rogar Demonblud]

Like having room to spread out, and nothing in front of you so your legs are all cramped up (important if you're much over 6 foot).

[Peelee]

View of the boards are never blocked, none of your neighbors are going to be distracting, depending on class size you may have some free space besides you which is just all kinds of nice... I don't get why people gravitate towards the back.

[Rogar Demonblud]

Fear of the teacher, mainly. Often with experiences to justify it.

[MonkeySage]

Oh yeah, I always sit as close to the front as I can. :) Since my P.Chem and Int.Res teachers share a classroom, I'm even sitting in the same front row seat for both classes.

[Morbis Meh]

First issue is you're taking Phys Chem instead of O-Chem, secondly why is there even a course call an intro to research? Come on the best way to learn how to research is trial by fire! Glad your situation worked out for you though.

[Peelee]

First issue is you're taking Phys Chem instead of O-Chem, secondly why is there even a course call an intro to research? Come on the best way to learn how to research is trial by fire! Glad your situation worked out for you though.

He posted about O-Chem a year ago or more, P-Chem seems to be correct.

[snowblizz]

I don't get why people gravitate towards the back.

Because most classes won't let you sit with an opened umbrella.


Jokes aside, to misquote (misremember) a line from Legally Blonde, the law prof looks at the front row and goes something like, "welcome to the hotzone".

One professor I had would break this rather common pattern by going through the entire class systematically. Usually half way all the good/easy/obvious/only rational answers were used up. Sometime he started in the back, sometimes in the front. We'd try to hit the middle so there'd be some chance of having some good answers. Because this dude did not give up even when he should have known we were scraping at the bottom of the barrel for answers.

A good teacher can engage the class with questions, a bad teacher turns into a gestapo questioner.

[Peelee]

Because most classes won't let you sit with an opened umbrella.


Jokes aside, to misquote (misremember) a line from Legally Blonde, the law prof looks at the front row and goes something like, "welcome to the hotzone".

Which forces one to be more studious and prepared. And, I'd imagine especially in law school, that would only serve to help the student.

Theres an old joke, what do you call the person who graduated at the bottom of the class is med school? "Doctor." Me, I'd rather not get or be that person.

[Rogar Demonblud]

The point of the joke is that the title doctor doesn't mean anything except that they graduated medical school. It comes from a time before medical licensing and malpractice boards to try and weed out the worst.

[Peelee]

The point of the joke is that the title doctor doesn't mean anything except that they graduated medical school. It comes from a time before medical licensing and malpractice boards to try and weed out the worst.

The second sentence contradicts the first.

[Rogar Demonblud]

No, it doesn't. The joke is from a time before the medical profession decided to make an effort to falsify the joke. Sentence one explains the joke. Sentence two is why it doesn't really work any more.

[halfeye]

Theres an old joke, what do you call the person who graduated at the bottom of the class is med school? "Doctor." Me, I'd rather not get or be that person.

The main point about calling them "Doctor" is that they did pass. It's the guys who failed that we really, really don't want as doctors. They might not be that great at theory, or have a terrible bedside manner, but they are adequate doctors, and we need every one. The head of the class probably went on to become a surgeon or something whizzy, and we want those too, but general practicioners, the doctors you go to see when you have an ache or pain that's worrying and you don't know quite whether it's a fatal problem or something you should just live with, are the main entry point to the system, and we need them.

[Peelee]

No, it doesn't. The joke is from a time before the medical profession decided to make an effort to falsify the joke. Sentence one explains the joke. Sentence two is why it doesn't really work any more.

Both sentences explain why it doesn't work if you know about the medical field, but it still gets the generalized points across.

They might not be that great at theory, or have a terrible bedside manner, but they are adequate doctors

Wanna know how I know you've never seen or heard of a terrible doctor?

[halfeye]

Wanna know how I know you've never seen or heard of a terrible doctor?

It might have to do with where I live. I've met a few I didn't want to meet twice, but that's personal between me and them. I take the current direction of the thread to be about perfect being the enemy of good enough. If a guy (or gal or whatever) is good enough to be called "Doctor" he (or they) should be called "Doctor".