Today was my first frustrating day at Seminary. But it wasn't necessarily because of the classes or professors (one of which made me look really stupid today which I'll get to later). The problem is, there are certain seminarians that get the feeling that they need to voice their opinion and share their experience about any and everything the professor addresses. Usually these individuals are older and my hypothesis is that because everyone is younger than they are in the classroom they feel foolish that they are at the same level as everyone else and want to make it known to the world that they already know all the material being covered.
These are the men that nod attentively at everything the professor says or tries to trump the professor based on their own experience. Or even worse, they ask a question or share an experience that ONLY relates to them particularly and is not relevant nor beneficial to anyone else in the classroom giving me a vision of this man holding my hard earned (or borrowed) money in his hand setting it on fire with a lighter because he is wasting my precious time. This rant may seem selfish and juvenile but I think there may be some other former or current seminarians that can relate? I'm especially excited to hear Gentry's zealous, humorous (and probably vulgar) response. No pressure.
On a side note, I realized today that there is something about being around a group of studious, academic Christians that just makes me want to rebel. I can't explain it, nor condone it, but it's just a feeling I have inside that I need to get to the bottom of.
Later I will go into detail about what is feels like to look like a complete moron with a distinguished professor.
7 comments:
I could have written your second to last paragraph...
let me know if you find anything in your digging.
dB,
Funny of all days, I'd pick today to stop by for a visit. Hang in there dude. Its going to be fine ... try to have mercy on the show-offy old guys. That was me, and I feel for them.
As for looking dumb in front of the distinguished professor.... the only way we learn is by making mistakes, therefore, he who makes the most mistakes wins! Any professor that doesn't get that, ain't worth worrying about.
Looking forward to seeing you next month.
i'm neither a prophet, nor the son of a prophet, but i predict that by the end of the semester at least one younger student will viciously denounce one of the non-traditional students right in the middle of class. i'm neither encouraging nor discouraging you to biblically admonish your elders in that way, but i think you would find it a hell of a lot of fun and it would be a wonderful way to give voice to the voiceless young pedagogues in your class.
for the record, i did provide such admonishment to crazy head shaking dave at LCC, but allowed one of my fellow students to play the role during hebrew class at S.H.I.T. for what it's worth, i preferred the former experience to the latter.
Dustin,
As soon as I started reading, the flashbacks began.
The caddyshack gopher at LCS will forever remain my arch-nemesis.
I have to say Dustin, that the older student annoying the rest of the class thing is not limited to seminary. I myself often lamented the fact that every person over the age of forty felt the need to ask the professor pointless questions at the end of a lesson, making everyone stay later, just to ingratiate themselves to the professor. My mother was a non-traditional student and admitted the same thing. She just thought that them older folks were the ones who really wanted to be there. She felt that they were sacrificing more to be there and therefore wanted to truly understand and experience every moment of the class. She would laugh everytime I would rant about the old students in my classes. You should have Kelley talk about Talky Talkerson in our Finance class. She would respond to everything our semi-sober professor would have to say.
hey melissa, kelli has told me quite a bit about some of the students you guys were in there with. Apparently it's not just Seminary but all grad schools!
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