Is it just me or are there a lot of disrespectful people in this world? I was raised to be kind and courteous, to respect my elders, teachers, and the various leaders in my life. I have noticed that there is a lack of this in many aspects of life. People are impatient in the check-out line, rude in the drive-through, and inconsiderate on the parkway. Though there are many facets of life into which these people intrude, the one I’d like to talk about is the classroom.
It may be my upbringing, it may be my time in the military, it may be my religious beliefs, or it may just be my life experiences, but there needs to be more respect for our professors. We need less texting friends about dinner plans during an important topic discussion. We should not be scrolling through the wish app for the next pair of pants while the power point is giving us vital information. We should not be catching a catnap in the middle of a fellow student’s project presentation.
It takes a lot of time and effort to create a meaningful course schedule, put together informative presentations, and come up with intriguing discussions. Not only have they taken the time to prepare for today’s class or even the semester as a whole, they have spent many years reaching this point in their educational careers to become a professor. Maybe think about it from their perspective. Even if you are not interested, or are being forced to take that class because it is a requirement for your degree, there is always something that you can learn.
Tuition is the same for everyone. The expenses may be covered from different sources, but the bottom line on the bill is still the same. Whether your parents are paying for it outright, you have a full ride athletic or academic scholarship, or in my case, the government is fulfilling their part of the G.I. Bill, someone is still paying the school. You may not see the money exchange, but it still happens, and because of the cost, we should all take our classes more seriously. Come prepared for class, actually pay attention to the Professor, take good notes, ask questions, take advantage of campus tutoring or help centers, and show up on time! If you respect the professors in these ways, not only will your grades improve, but your professors will respect you in return.
