Student "edition" found at {csi dot journalspace dot com}.

Maybe I shouldn't have started this blog now, not with everything that's been going on.

So the general science requirement mechanics lab class practical exam that had to be held simultaneously with the last experiment eventually came to pass.

First of all, there were some seniors (and their lower batch slacker friends) who only took the lab class, so they were not aware of the practical exam schedule.

They have at least one friend who is in the lecture class, but this guy did not tell them about the practical until the morning of the day itself, where of course when he sent them text messages about it they came up with excuses as to why they weren’t there. I refused to talk to them on his phone though, and told the guy instead that they are expected to arrive early on every meeting (even though they don’t), so the one session they are required to show up on time I can’t accept any excuses for what appears to be habitual tardiness.

They did show up though, and it seems they were already acceptant of the fact that they will not be allowed to take the practical exam. But there was a part of me that thought they will appeal, and by that time they would have studied more for the experiments, so might as well let them take the exam now while they are unprepared. And in that respect they didn’t disappoint me.

One of them boldly declared to me (points for acting, none for forethought) that in the coefficient of friction experiment, the plank is inclined while the block is at the bottom of the incline with a string attached to the pulley on the top of the plank, mixing up two parts from all that he could remember about the experiment he never paid attention to that his group mates worked on.

Same with another student that I had talked about two years ago in my trigonometric applications class, who, he shows me, hasn’t learned anything since. He couldn’t answer anything in the experiment he drew, so he was asking me if he could take time to study. I wouldn’t allow him, naturally. After all, two days prior, I saw him in one of the lecture classes to whom I announced the practical, so he couldn’t say he didn’t know about it.

The engineering freshmen surprised me by having a one sheet reviewer on all the experiments photocopied, which I had to remind them they couldn’t take into the exam room.

I will leave my anecdotes about non-English speaking students, those who drew the “reward” and other allowances I gave the non-slacking students for next time.

Session 1569 only puts forth last minute efforts in school, such as rushing to show up for oral exams (but skipping regular sessions) but not studying beforehand. Class dismissed.