Favorite student emails

[mythbuster]

Dear Dr. Buster,
   Good evening, I'm trying to get home to do the peer reviews asap, however i'm stuck on [XXX Interstate Highway] without my laptop and i'm unable to do the editing on my phone. I've been sitting on the highway for over an hour and they have just shut the part of the highway that i'm on down. I have no idea how long i'll be stuck here, I just wanted to reach out to let you know i am trying to get home to do the peer reviews and I didn't want to be pentalized for it

Ummm. . . trying to your your homework on your phone in your car on the highway. NOT a good plan.

[fleabite]

The highway was probably masquerading as a parking lot at the point Stu wrote their message, so defaulting from driving to schoolwork would not be an unreasonable option.

[apl68]

The student should take a deep breath and remember that whatever the problem is with the interstate highway, it's probably not on the same level as what Los Angeles is going through right now.  Unless perhaps it actually IS in Los Angeles.

[mythbuster]

No, not I-10, although it does run through town here.

[the_geneticist]

Dear stu,
Asking a professor if you can "skip their class" is not a way to make a good impression.  No, I will not give you permission to attend another class at the same time as this one.  Just because you thought of the idea doesn't mean it will happen.

[Chemystery]

This reminds me of a student from many years ago.

Student sent me an email at 9:50 am, asking if we could meet at 10:00 am. I was not in front of my computer at that time.  When I got back to my office at 10:15, I saw the email and replied that I was available if they wanted to stop in.  The student came to my office shortly after noon.  He explained that he had an out of state event that weekend and had wanted to meet with me to find out what we were doing because he wanted to miss class and drive there early.  Since I had not been available to meet with him at 10:00, and it was now so late in the day, he supposed he would just come to class (at 1:00).  The ensuing silence and look on his face told me that I was supposed to apologize for inconveniencing him, but I couldn't bring myself to apologize for not being available at a drop of a hat or that he would be attending class.

[apl68]

Dear stu,
Asking a professor if you can "skip their class" is not a way to make a good impression.  No, I will not give you permission to attend another class at the same time as this one.  Just because you thought of the idea doesn't mean it will happen.

A good place for a lesson on the importance of "framing" to make what one says come across in the best possible way.