With finals sadly starting at the end of this week, the stress seems to be piling from all angles. Is there an end in sight? With final papers to write and those cumulative exams to study for, it’s expected that everyone is busy and past their breaking point as well. Stay strong because winter break and the holidays are coming soon. There are just a few more days to go. Stay strong everyone!

With that being said, I would like to state that I do not appreciate the teachers who make this part of the college experience more difficult and stressful than it needs to be. I would appreciate some support, especially since finals are worth so much of our grade. I would like to say that a majority of my teachers do everything they possibly can to prepare their students for the final. There are review sessions on days when the class isn’t scheduled and many teachers check their emails more often to answer those last minute questions that seem to pop up at random times during the day.

However, one particular incident does come to mind that is far from acceptable in regards to a teacher on this campus. Research papers are often a key part of a class, especially at the end of the semester. They often play a major chuck in what your final grade will most likely be. When I write a paper, I make sure to do the proper research, spending my time to make sure that I write a paper worthy of the grade I am expecting. If I put that much effort into my paper, my teachers should put that much effort into grading it. At least I assume they will.

Here is an instance where I assumed wrong. I was returned a research paper for one of my classes this semester. The teacher, before returning the papers, informed the class that no questions were allowed to be asked about the paper and that all grades were final. I understand that the grade is final. That’s perfectly understandable. However, if I receive a certain grade, I should at least have to right to find out why. I expect something to either be written on the paper itself, or I should be allowed to ask a question if it is not clear as to why I got the grade. Perhaps my grade doesn’t matter to you, but to me, it’s kind of important.

In this particular class, when a student proceeded to ask the teacher what one of the notes on the paper meant, the teacher asked the student why they hadn’t listened to what was said. There were to be no questions. The grade on the paper was nonnegotiable. No answer was given to the student, even after this student proceeded to explain that the grade wasn’t the issue. The student was just interested in knowing what the teacher meant by a particular note.

My paper, however, had no notes or information written on it that would tell me why my paper received the grade that it did. I am insulted if I spend my time on something, only to have it given back to me in a manner that suggests that the teacher does not care about what I wrote or how I am doing in the class. In fact I am more than insulted; I am disgusted.

Hopefully, all of you are having a better finals week than the one I am having at the moment. Study hard and pass those tests. Keep those grades up and get help before those finals in those classes you are really struggling in. Once finals are over, we can all relax.

Have a great winter break everyone! See you next year.