Naughty unruly students who use cell phones in class

[Alelou]

I don't care about food or drink either, except in the computer lab where the college won't allow it. Frankly, at 7:30 am I sometimes wish they ALL had coffee with them.

What happens when large numbers of students have their attention divided between texting and whatever we're doing is that discussion lags, people respond to questions with, "Huh?" and the energy in general just gets sucked out of the room. So yes, I mind it, and I will continue to do whatever I have to do to discourage it. If people feel they really just can't turn their phones off for the period of time they're in my class, they should have dropped it as soon as I informed them what my policy was.

[WarpGirl]

I'm with you Alelou. About food and drinks. I think they should just let people eat when they need too. In my last try at college, I had four classes. The first two used the same room back to back, no pushing around campas. Oh lovely. The last two were on complete opposite side of the campas with every steep incline in between. I had arms that made Madonna's look wimpy. And It dang near killed me. BUT The thing was, in my last class of the day it was 2 hours long. So we had break, we were allowed to drink but no food. I don't know why, it was Art History no computers. But it was a pain to go across campas, eat, then rush back. But you had to eat because if you didn't you'd pass out from hunger from walking (or pushing) across campas all day. I wish he would have let us eat in class.

[JadziaKathryn]

Personally, I just don't understand the preoccupation some people have with what other people are doing, especially when the only ones they're hurting are themselves. (The chicks who sit behind me are another story with their incessant chattering, and I can't imagine I'm the only one annoyed by them.)

Generally I figure if you want to do badly it's your problem. However, this professor will every now and then get really annoyed and stop lecturing on the history of Great Britain to to a mini-lecture on putting away all your electronics and using computers for history. Then it becomes something I object to, because these people's messing around has now interfered with MY education.

[WarpGirl]

Exactly hence why students should respect their professors, and other students.

[Escriba]

As for the point someone made earlier about it being rude to eat or drink in class because the teacher can't, I beg to differ: instructors often bring coffee and sodas and bottled water to class.

That was me We kinda agree that it's cultural. Teachers didn't drink in class either. If you wanted to drink or eat you had to wait to the 5 minute breaks there were between classes. Or go to the café instead of going to class. At least chewing bubblegum was allowed (in school and High School you couldn't.)

The last two were on complete opposite side of the campas with every steep incline in between.

We rarely used to change of class. And if we did, it was in the same building (which isn't so big anyway.)

As I said, different rules in different countries

[WarpGirl]

Rub it in why don't ya! Actually I got full scholarship here at the most presigeous private women's college in the state two BIG problems with that though... 1 A wheelchair couldn't navigate campus. 2. I'm just not healthy enough to go. I wish I could.

[Distracted]

At least college students get breaks to eat if they schedule their classes properly. I can remember in med school during my Junior year clinical rotation in Surgery we'd be in the hospital making rounds by 5 am and not leave until 10 pm, and that was on an off-call day. When we were on-call we didn't leave until 10 pm the FOLLOWING evening. We'd do rounds in the morning, and if rounds lasted until 7 when you were scheduled to be assisting in the OR, then tough. No breakfast for you. Then if surgery lasted until 1 pm when you were supposed to be in lecture you got no lunch either. Dinner was stuck somewhere between the end of afternoon clinic at around 5 and evening rounds which usually started about 5:30. We walked around the hospital several times after that, first on work rounds with the intern, then on chief resident teaching rounds, and finally on staff rounds. At around ten on a call night we'd then head over to the ER to start doing admission exams on all the members of the Knife and Gun club who were checking in that evening and we'd get to assist with emergency procedures all night if we were "lucky". On off-call nights we got to go home and sleep for five hours or so so we could get up and do it all over again. Meals were "hurry and run to the vending machine before somebody catches me not doing what I'm supposed to be doing" affairs. I finally gave up trying to actually sit down and eat and just started carrying a sandwich from the vending machine in my inside right coat pocket at all times and took bites of it when I got lightheaded.

Needless to say, my college student patients who come in and claim that they can't eat healthier because they "don't have time for breakfast and lunch" don't get much sympathy from me. My response is usually "get up earlier, pack yourself a Nutrigrain bar, an apple, a bottle of water, and a turkey sandwich, and next semester don't schedule classes back-to-back over the lunch hour". Dummy. (Obviously I just think that last part. I don't say it. )

[WarpGirl]

You are so right. I think I ate more because I pushed that chair everywhere. Well guys offered to "help" but they didn't seem to remember that I was underage. But I remember schedualing lunch. I just got so hungry later.

[Aquarius]

:lol: It's okay, I know it's not the major of choice for an easy job search. Or big paychecks. Really, I'm graduating in May (as my undergrad roommate said, "God willing and the creek don't rise") and I think next semester job search panic will start to set in.

Still, I'm envious.

Scheduling classes isn't always so simple. If you need a class, sometimes you just have to take it when it's available...you don't always have the luxury of scheduling yourself a half hour or hour for lunch.

Furthermore, I emphatically disagree with some of the things that are part of doctors' training. Personally, I DO NOT want a sleep-deprived, under-nourished resident working on ME. It's unfair to the doctor, and it's HUGELY unfair to the patients under his or her care.

[Distracted]

Scheduling classes isn't always so simple. If you need a class, sometimes you just have to take it when it's available...you don't always have the luxury of scheduling yourself a half hour or hour for lunch.

Furthermore, I emphatically disagree with some of the things that are part of doctors' training. Personally, I DO NOT want a sleep-deprived, under-nourished resident working on ME. It's unfair to the doctor, and it's HUGELY unfair to the patients under his or her care.

I agree with you, but at least if you're forced by circumstances to schedule a class at noon you have enough intelligence to pack a lunch. Sometimes I don't think it even occurs to my patients that such a thing is possible. Lunch apparently isn't lunch unless it's in a paper bag with a fast food restaurant logo on it.

And yes, med school is miserable. It's supposed to be. That way med students will love private practice when they only have to work 80 hours a week instead of 120. What's even better, soon they'll have to want to do it strictly for the pleasure of serving mankind, since there will be precious little financial reward left after paying off loans and malpractice premiums. But then, if doctors aren't pushed to their limits in med school how can they discover what their limits are? This is the surgical mentality, at least. It's also why I'm not a surgeon.

[Alelou]

As a patient, it's really horrifying to think you're part of a grand experiment to see just what the limits of the young surgeon with his hands in you might be.

[Distracted]

Isn't it, though? The training hospitals have been getting away with it for decades. If it's any consolation to you, there's theoretically supposed to be a staff surgeon overseeing every procedure. Theoretically.

[Alelou]

Kind of like the anesthesiologist who was theoretically paying attention well enough to notice when my husband aspirated something during his knee surgery.

[Aquarius]

Bloody ridiculous is what I call it.

Any way, I usually brown bag a lunch, even at school, because it's cheaper. If I didn't have time to pack one, I'd at least go to the dining commons to eat--telling myself I'm better off that way because it's not fast food.

[JadziaKathryn]

Furthermore, I emphatically disagree with some of the things that are part of doctors' training. Personally, I DO NOT want a sleep-deprived, under-nourished resident working on ME. It's unfair to the doctor, and it's HUGELY unfair to the patients under his or her care.

I agree. Incidentally, it also forces residents to disregard most of the basic health advice they would give, like getting enough sleep and eating healthy meals.