...About That

Exams are one of the most stressful aspects of college life. It can be even more stressful, however, when the professor has no concept of how to teach. Now, this may just be me being bitter, and the truth may very well be that I have no concept of how to be a good student. I think the truth may lie somewhere in the middle of these two extremes, or be a combination of the two.

It would be beneficial psychologically speaking to view challenges like tests as opportunities to learn what I know. That would be following the mastery goal orientation mindset and would lead me to a much more enriching educational experience. However, when my future and career is riding on my completion of this course, the professor gives only two exams and a final, has no concept of material organization, doesn't clearly state student objectives or his expectations of us aside from "know everything," and doesn't give study guides, it's hard to not approach a test completely stressed out.

I don't want to blame all of this on my professor. Of course, some fault rests on my shoulders; I could have studied over spring break instead of going to Moab, I could have kept up on reading more thoroughly, and I could have listened to old lectures on the internet. However, I honestly don't think it is feasible to cover the entirety of two months of material in preparation for an hour long exam that could contain ANY of it.

Oh well...I suppose most people fail Developmental Biology first go through. If I do, I'll just try again until I get it and take this professor as an example of how not to teach my students when I'm working. Okay. Time to study for the Plant Physiology exam tomorrow. I'll put up pictures from Moab when I have free time (what a joke).