unverschaemt

I am the teacher's pet. I went to go see Professor of Dense Words to ask him how best to prepare for exams in his class. When I had asked him earlier if he had supplemental readings to suggest, he literally staggered backwards, clutched his heart and exclaimed, "I'm so offended!" None of it was melodramatic, just genuine.

So, I tried again, this time with more forethought.

He was exhausted and he doesn't wear it well. I felt really selfish and like a bad person for inquiring of him at that hour, but he was gracious and had really good ideas for me (and even said that I'm clearly more prepared than many in the class, that he can tell - I'd thought for awhile that he hadn't noticed me because I was like the ONLY person whose name he had to check on the seating chart before he called on me until recently - in contrast to my Torts class where I'm the ONLY person whose name he knows).

As I was getting ready to leave, he requested that I remind him tomorrow after class that he needs to go to the room to give us our practice exam. He is, he said, completely wiped out after class. Earlier he had begun relying on me to remember things like what time our review session is and the like (I write all these things down immediately because I often have conflicts), and he even started looking at me before answering and I would mouth or gesture when & where. I've always had kids who would do these things for me - I'm just paying it back.

"I understand about you being wiped out after class." I stood at the door, wondering how far into teacher petdom I wanted to go, but he deserved it. "I want to tell you how much I appreciate the quality of your teaching. And I'm an experienced teacher & educationalist, and so I know how much work you put into it and how draining it can be. And you do a really outstanding job, and I thank you."

He was touched, and it was a great way for him to end a Wednesday.

So then I had two more classes (why doesn't my Wednesday end at 5:00 like normal people?) and I was so out of it in my last class that I couldn't even focus on the words in front of me.

It was time to break the South Beach. It was time for carbs. Fortunately Dr. Agatson possessed my body in those moments and when I got home I found a frozen whole wheat pita that I stuffed with salad and chicken breast. And bread - it does a body good. I probably just gained three pounds with it - but it was worth it.

Time for some intensive study prep. These classes are all graded based on one anonymous exam so sucking up to the teacher doesn't do anything for me at all. Energy is better spent on outlining and memorizing.