Five and half years in academic may not qualify me a “senior” status as an academician, but I do encounter all sorts of “interesting” character of students that get me very upset.

 

  1. Begging To Pass While Answering Nothing In The Final Exam – Often I see “senior” students wrote notes to me in the final exam booklet “begging” me to pass them. The problem is, how do they expect me to pass them when they answer only 3 out of 4 questions and leaving lots of blank pages in the exam booklet?
  2. Asking For Chapter Distribution In The Final Exam – I do get lots of email asking how many questions will be asked per chapter. The reason behind this is student plan to skip certain chapter and study only certain chapter.
  3. Asking For Tutorial Solutions – I will also get emails from student telling me that they didn’t attend tutorial classes at this so and so week.
    Upset 01

    Upset 02
    And then they “ask” me to “provide” them with the solution because they want to study for final.
  4. Copying And Plagiarism – Despite clear instruction telling them not to plagiarize or copy where heavy penalty will be imposed, student still continue to copy. And when I penalized them, all sorts of begging and reasoning will fill my ears.
  5. Do Not Read Instructions – Students tend to take instruction for granted. When penalized, again, all sorts of reason like “Didn’t see the instruction”, “Forgot to read instruction”, “I thought is supposed to be done such way” and etc.
  6. Creating Stupid Lies – At times, I would encounter students who came to me for consultation asking how to do certain assignment claiming that they did it by themselves. When I asked detailed questions (actually wanting to help them by clarifying myself with their encountered problems), they will say, “I don’t know. If I remove this part, can my thing run?” or “Sir, what does this part do?” If they have done that by themselves, they should be able to avoid such stupid lie/questions right?
  7. Don’t Even Know Who Are Your Lecturer – I have encountered students who came to me to pass up assignment but asked some questions like this, “Sir, are you the lecturer for Control Theory? I want to pass up Control Theory assignment.” I was like “?????” This student attend my lecture or not and if he didn’t how in the world he knows there’s an assignment to pass up?
  8. Asking For Grades – I do need to supervise Final Year Thesis students. Whenever students come to me to ask for project details, the next question I’d normally get is, “Sir, if I just do this and this what grade can I get? Can I get A- or A?” My goodness. Project hasn’t even started and grades is what they are thinking and not how to complete the project.
  9. Missing Appointment – This is something I really really can get pretty upset. Students emailed me to make appointment to meet me at this time, date and day. After setting that time free, they never appear.
  10. Priority Comparison – Last but not least, priority comparison. Students normally take 4-5 subjects per semester. I ever encountered students who came to me asking for supplementary test because they didn’t have enough sleep because rushing for another subject’s assignment. When I told them they should have known there’s a test and should have prepared for it. What upset me was the reason they gave, “I know there’s a test sir, but that project is higher priority!” My subject’s test is not a priority? Might as well, don’t take the test and get “0″ since this subject is not your priority.

The lists can go on and on but these are the top 10 things that I can get upset with students.