The Ego Episodes

Monday, Mar. 21, 2005

Cornfield

I don't write about my school. I think it's because when I first attempted writing online (not on this one, the very first one which looked too cute, and thus shall not be mentioned anymore) I became paranoid that somehow, one of my professors would read my entry and on account of what nasty things I've written, would fail me. I know! Surfing the net reading journals is the last thing a professor would do. Seriously, brain. Wired. Weird.

Well, first of all, I didn't know what's 'nasty' back then. And after reading/following several blogs and online journals (yes, those two have differences), I realized that I should not fear sounding nasty. This is my diary, and this here is a repository of my chronicled life events and OPINIONS. Having said that, I shall talk about my school.

Now, I love my school. It's beautiful, you see gardens even in the school complex. Yes, even in the non-ground floors. It's like the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, except it's not surrounded by a body of water (but we do have fountains). And there are no arched doorways either.

Below is a great shot of the school complex and illustrates my analogy perfectly.

This was taken from here. And those are real plants, by the way.

If you want to see more beautiful photos of the campus (not just the school complex) at different times of the day, go here. It'll dazzle you. Who knew, huh?

The scenic campus is just one of the things I love about my school. There are other things, like my room, with its view and the white birds, library with kickass computers, mango chicken at canteen 4 and 5, brilliant professors, and so on. But there are areas that need improvement. I will just mention one because of time constraints (exams are coming, got a big quiz and a project, not yet over with). My pet peeve is: The Unusually Quiet Student (UQS) (may be pronounced as 'yucks').

Okay, I can't help but be one sometimes. But most of the time, I'm usually the most vocal, asking questions and answering questions. Now, answering questions. What is UP with keeping your mouth shut when the tutor asks you something that only requires a one-word answer, and is not even remotely related to any concept you've just learned? For instance:

Tutor: Did you guys solve today's tutorial? (No answer. I shift restlessly.) Anybody tried? (Okay, tried. I did. So I raised my hand.) Oh. Only one?

I KNOW my classmates are not THAT lazy. They HAVE tried the tutorials AT LEAST. I read my tutor's expression when nobody answered her question and hers said, "Oookay. No answer. Great. Love this class." I feel that we were being rude for not answering. I felt sorry for her. But then she's that kind of tutor (being her first time and not really a professor and all) that doesn't get it right away. For tutorial question no. 1, she asked, "Has anybody solved question number one?" Well, I did, so I raised my hand. And she said, "Oh, you." I fear that she's going to ask the class again so I told her, "Nobody will admit that they have tried the tutorials, so you don't have to ask." I don't know why people won't admit doing something that they are expected to do. I just don't get it.

Is it because they think you're a show-off when you raise your hand, thus informing the whole class that you have solved the tutorial questions AS EXPECTED? It's called homework! So this kind of reasoning, while maybe true, is just weird. I'd rather admit that I have tried the tutorial questions rather than leave the tutor hanging there, expecting an answer but getting none from a bunch of 30 students in a small room, like she's in a cornfield surrounded by corn plants and not human beings, who, by the way, do not only have EARS but also a functioning MOUTH.

Another reason is that maybe they're scared of being asked again of the answers to the tutorial questions. Okay, this is a legitimate fear. NOT! If you have solved it, then you should know the answers, and if you're not sure about your answers then say so. I have tried but failed to get the correct answer. There. Is that so hard to say? I mean, it's not like you're tutor is Professor Snape! The tutors we have are actually willing to help and well, nice. So to my juniors, go ask your tutors for help. Don't be shy. School fees are not expensive for nothing.

Aside from those two reasons, I cannot think of anything else. I don't think my peers are shy. Give me a break. Final year students? Shy? We know each other in class! Well, except for me. I don't know them because I don't really mingle because I, um, I don't know. That's for another entry I guess (Note to self: Quiz. Project. Hurry.). Anyway, oh. And quiet? Us? Quiet? Ha! So there you go, my pet peeve in school. RQS.

It's not the school's fault. But I mean, maybe there's something they could do to curb this strange and disturbing behavior. What if I become a teacher ...

{ joycie at 3:11 p.m.}