Today's Embarassing Event

As I've mentioned here before on the blog, I'm a Senior Computer Science Major in my last quarter of school. In order to get out of here I have to take Discrete Math this quarter, and it's been somewhat difficult so far. The only other bit of information necessary for understanding this story is that I missed class last wednesday, of a class that only meets mondays and wednesdays.

I showed up to class today and saw my professor bent over the desk at the front of the class, rifling through a big stack of papers. I take a quick look around the class and see that everyone has their desks cleared, or are in the process of clearing their desk. These are the first two signs of my impending doom. The teacher says "Unless a large amount of people show up soon, I think we'll have enough for everyone".

I think to myself "Oh boy, this isn't good, I think there may be a test.",but when I hear "Please grade us easily on this", I knew my assumption was right. This statement came from the girl who sits in front of me, who says this before every test and in every mention of the test by the professor. So, I panic... the teacher rescheduled the test while I was sick, and I haven't studied at all. CRAP. Making a spur of the moment decision, I leave the room before the professor can hand out the tests.

I get back to the house thinking that I'm gonna have to graduate a quarter late because I missed one stupid class, and because I slacked off that day. I talk to Taylor about how I should approach the problem. I talk to Sami about it. Every resource at my disposal was consulted.

Ultimately, I decided I'd go see him after class and ask for a make-up test, or for the comprehensive final to be counted twice. After all, the material would be tested and graded, so what would it hurt? This is a student talking here though... most teachers don't see things so logically.

Waiting that hour and a half was probably the most gut wrenching activity I've had to endure while in college. I knew, I just KNEW, that this guy was gonna tell me, "Well, it states clearly on the syllabus that if you miss an exam for any reason, without an excused absence, you will get a zero on that exam." Lemme tell ya, today was not a good day for the ol' nerves.

I mustered up the nerve to get in the truck and take the trip back to campus to find out whether I'd graduate this quarter or in the SPRING (they only offer this course twice a year).

When I got to the building, the professor was still in the classroom, answering questions that the students had after the test. So, I waited outside for about 15 minutes, trying to plan my best strategy for evoking compassion. Should I cry? Should I get on my knees and wrap myself around his leg until he agrees to a make-up exam? No, I'll tell him the truth, and he'll understand that I'll have to postpone graduation by 6 months and spend thousands more dollars to complete one course. After all, students in trouble always find consolation in the fact that our professors are "human"... most of them.

He came out of the classroom, and I just walked up to him and told him I had a few questions regarding the test today. To which he says, "Test today?".
"Yeah, the test today. I missed it."
"There was no test today. We moved the test, but we moved it back a day to next Wednesday"
"But, I showed up to class today and you were getting ready to hand out these papers, and I heard a girl ask you to grade them easily."
"Well, I'm sorry, but you just misunderstood."

An enormous weight lifted off my shoulders, and all I could do was smile. I'd made a huge fool of myself in talking to the professor and admitting that I ran out of class at the first signs of a test. However, I'd rather have my diploma than my dignity. Now, I can get back to just worrying about passing physics 2.