Students

I know I've griped on here enough about my "problem" students, but I do have to say that this semester - so far at least - I'm pretty happy. In my one Majors class, we've gotten into some interesting discussions and the students seem to enjoy the lab. We did one simulation lab that I was a bit apprehensive about because typically the students hate simulations, but several people said, "wow, this is cool...this is really well designed (it was not a lab I had written, but still)" and they enjoyed it.

And the students in that class are just generally pretty interesting. I have a nice mix this semester - about half med-sci types, half fish-and-wildlife types, and a few "oddball" people (including one guy who's planning on going to law school but is getting an undergrad degree in biology). Most of them are juniors or seniors so they either do know better, or at least they should know better.

I collected a set of short papers from them last week and I was very pleased with several of them - obviously people who've had other courses from the "toughies" in the department and who learned their lesson.

And I have to say: The Fish and Wildlife guys sometimes frustrate me a little (because a lot of them are really bright guys but they also like getting through life doing as little as possible, and I'm exactly the opposite - I will go to insane lengths to make something **perfect** even if it's just in my own eyes).

But deep down, I really do like them. A lot of them are "good ol' boys," sort of in the Dukes of Hazzard sense (but more in the non-stereotypical "Southern guy who respects his mama and his grandma and who says "sir" to his dad and his girlfriend's dad, and who doesn't cuss in front of a lady" sense). A lot of them actually are kind of PROTECTIVE of me, and you know, even though I'm a bit of a feminist at times and would be the first to kick and scream if someone told me I "couldn't" or "shouldn't" do something because I'm female, I'm kind of touched by their concern.

One thing I learned pretty fast: when one of the guys sees you moving something or picking something up, and he asks you if he can "help," you say "Sure" and hand him whatever it is. And then you thank him afterwards. Even if he's littler than you. Because that's part of these guy's worldviews: if you are a guy, you carry stuff for the lady. Especially if the lady is your professor.

Well, today - there was another example of it. Last week I had a terrible migraine and we couldn't go out and get the samples we had planned on getting in the field. I worried about this all week (and I have learned I do have somewhat of the reputation of being a "mother hen" around the students - but you know? Once a worrier, always a worrier, and I regard it as part of my attention to my responsibilities). I told the students where they had to go to get the samples and how to collect them. I reminded them several times, but kept the thought in the back of my mind that if some hadn't taken the trouble to get the samples before today's lab (when we needed them), I'd run out over my lunch hour and do it.

And I mentioned that in class. And one of the guys, who already had got his sample, basically said, "Forget that! You should just tell them, 'tough, you have to go and get it today during lab time and then do the lab at my convenience.'" And I looked at him. And I thought: well, if one of the STUDENTS sees that it's insane for me to do their jobs for them, I'll just take that advice.

And I did. And no one bitched about it, at least not to my face (However, nearly all the students HAD got their samples over the weekend, so maybe it wasn't really an issue).

But it made me smile - that he was sticking up for me like that, that he was all, "Dr. Ricki, you shouldn't have to do that!"

So yeah - I gripe about them sometimes but they're (mostly) basically good kids.

(And I can call them kids because I am at least 18 years older than most of them.)