Kids Today

So I have this history class this semester, History 101; The World in the 20th Century. This is a required class since everyone needs to know at least a little something about the last 100 years. The majority of my class is made up of 18ish year old girls. Most of whom I assume just graduated high school this past May. They are really unbelievable as students. First of all, they still have that high school note-taking mentality where they write down every single word the prof says. I know this for fact because I hear them whispering behind me when one of them misses an adjective (or any other non-essential part) from the lecture. This leads to the proverbial cricket sound when he asks a question. They're hearing what he says, but not actually listening, or maybe it's the other way around, but you know what I mean. In fact, it's usually the same three people that respond to what he says, me being one of them.

About a month ago, we had a midterm. There are only 5 items that are graded in this class--class participation(15%), 5 quizzes (25%), midterm (15%), paper(20%) and final(25%)--no homework, no chapter tests, no nuthin' else. That's it and it's all stated very clearly in the syllabus which we got on the first day. Ok, ok the midterm. So the midterm was going to be the first test, first major graded item we were getting from him and it FREAKED them all out. I understand the first test, you don't know what to expect, how he grades, what kinds of questions he asks, but DAMN! They started asking retarded things like, "What's the average grade students get on your midterms?" or "What if I miss the test?"or "Will there be a chance for extra credit afterwards?" there were plenty more, but I've blocked them out. But trust me, they were a retarded waste of time. Some of them were surprised at their poor grade on the midterm because they took "really good notes", but then it came out that they didn't buy the book! WTF? He's not going to spoon-feed you everything!

It annoys me because I like the prof (a local film critic) and I also enjoy the subject, although most of the stuff I've already learned from other history classes, and they just waste time with their incessant whining. If they'd just shut up maybe we could get oat early for once! If it weren't for the participation grade, I would have stopped showing up a long time ago.

Today, the paper is due. The last few weeks have been trying for me because the first fifteen (at least) minutes of class are nothing but them whining about wanting him to push back the due date until after Thanksgiving. Luckily he hasn't melted like butter. Nope! Paper due today, no questions! As of Tuesday, a couple of the girls were having problems writing a 1700 word paper because they hadn't read the book! Well no shit, I say. We got to choose from a list of three books/topics to write about. These were all listed on the syllabus which we all received, once again, the first day of class. This paper and the books involved were no secret, it didn't say, "major paper due, details to be discussed at a later date". It was all clearly stated in English even! My paper, for the most part, was finished two weeks ago sans conclusion which I just finished up. I had the book read about a month ago. I guess I'm a planner.

All I can say to them is 'Good luck with the next four years!' I hope, for their sake and the sake of us other, serious (or quasi-serious) students that they just find some rich guy to marry so they don't have to get a real degree-requiring job and then they can let someone else into the class who really wants to be there and doesn't mind doing the work.
Sheesh!