In Bed with Billy: Little Bits of History Repeating February 2, 2010
Posted by Sonya Hudson in : Style , add a commentBilly Curtis, Sex Columnist
Twenty year olds are stupid; with their naivety of everlasting life and the belief that their driving is absolutely the best, even though they manage to rack up more tickets than the elderly, they think they know it all. “Why do I have the right to say this,” you ask? The answer is that three years ago, I was one of them.
The truth is, knowledge literally does come and is learned through experience. No one is very experienced at the age of 20 — we do what we want, ignore our schoolwork and party, maybe even a little too much.
I’ve always imagined that during high school and college, the most important lessons are taught outside of the classroom.
Thinking back to when I was 20, I definitely dated men that were older than me. I never experienced the issue of conflict in our age differences, but when I turned 23 just last week, I realized that it’s essentially not about the age of either partner in any relationship; it’s about levels of maturity, and how they meet and converge.
Jason and I had been dating for roughly four months now, and everything seemed okay — until we both realized the lack of communication that was going on between us.
Spending the holidays with him and his family was a great experience, and I was glad I could share the holidays with someone other than myself for a change.
We didn’t fight the entire trip, but the more time I spent with him, the more I began to realize that there were many, many differences between us.
For instance, one day while Jason was driving on Sideburn Road, I looked over at the speedometer and noticed that he was doing 60 mph in a zone that was set at 30.
My prior experience with speeding usually involved tickets from police officers back when I was 19-21, and had thus taught me to be more careful when driving.
“Jason, you do realize that you’re going like 30 miles above the speed limit, right?” I asked him with hesitance in my voice.
“Well, I have a million tickets; it’s just the price I have to pay every now and then in order to do what I want.” Jason’s reply startled me and made me realize, at that moment, that he obviously didn’t care about getting a ticket.
It was almost as if he didn’t know or realize that, after a certain amount of points from getting so many tickets, his license could be in jeopardy, not to mention the lives of his passengers (me), and himself.
This was only one of the many examples that made me begin to realize that Jason’s level of maturity was certainly at a different level than mine.
I mean I’m obviously not the most mature person in the world, but I can surely say that I’ve passed the portion of my life when I thought it wasn’t important to care about my driving, let alone the people who ride with me.
While I was worrying about my life and my relationship with Jason, my friend Brandon was having an even worse time dealing with the 20-year-old that he was dating, Stephan.
Stephan seemed like a nice person when I met him the first couple of times, but Brandon was slowly beginning to realize that Stephan’s lack of maturity was coming between their relationship, and even the relationships that Brandon held with our group of friends. We were all a couple of years older than Stephan, and with every comment he would make or action he would take, my friends and I found ourselves looking over at Brandon, who had the same face that we were all making towards him.
It got to a boiling point when Stephan made a comment towards me one night while at a drag show in the district. Stephan’s comment was so offensive that even Brandon did a double take.
It was as if Stephan had gotten so comfortable in our group in just a short amount of time that he believed he could do and say whatever he felt like — that or he was just crazy.
Jason and I managed to work out most of our problems for the time; Brandon, on the other hand, figured that he was better off being single. Brandon realized that, although he may have really liked Stephan and wanted it to it work out between the two of them, he was making the right decision for both parties involved.
Because either situation — living in a relationship that is a lie or believing that your relationship isn’t a lie — is truly hurtful to yourself, and to the person you’re dating.
If you’re not happy in a relationship with someone, you shouldn’t stay with them out of pity — who wants that?
It’s never been about age. We all age differently, and some of us, unlike a fine wine, do not age well with time.
It’s about learning what you can’t be taught, and recalling these lessons in the future as to not make the same mistakes you’ve made in the past, whether you’re dealing with college, family or even a relationship.
That’s why we date; we want to learn more about the people around us, and at the same time, more about ourselves. And obviously, the clichéd expression fits here just as well as it has for any other similar situation: if you don’t learn from your history, you truly will be doomed to repeat it in some form or another.
And I can promise you that repeating your mistakes is hell. So I leave you now with a couple of questions: what happens next . . . for you? Will you learn, or just let your repeating history be your own personal hell? Honestly, the choice is yours.
Despite the Snowy Conditions, The Upright Citizens Yuk It Up February 2, 2010
Posted by style in : Style , add a commentPatrick Wall, Style Editor
The Harman Center for the Arts offered a respite from the snow for those in search of great comedy. The touring improvisational comedy troupe The Upright Citizens Brigade performed Saturday to an audience eager to laugh.
The largely twenty-something crowd piled into the Harmon’s forum, a simplistic yet chic room in the Shakespearian playhouse’s basement. Audience members sipped drinks and quietly chatted amongst themselves, waiting for the show to begin.
Just as the crowd was getting noticeably restless, four ordinary-looking folks ran in the room, raising their arms with an enthusiastic greeting.
Before the four comics started, they requested a participant from the audience. They picked and promptly asked the volunteer to fork over his wallet. They then proceeded to rifle through it.
The evening’s entertainment was broken into two parts — the first, a series of continual sketches based on the contents of their volunteer’s wallet. The second was also long-form improvisational comedy, this time based on a word selected by the audience.
The subject of the first series of skits focused mainly on the volunteer’s profession, a marketer for a Washington, DC accounting firm. The second half was based primarily around the word “penguin.”
Each sketch flowed seamlessly, switching scenes and ideas without so much as a pause from the four performers.
Content ranged from the outrageous (a Law and Order spinoff based on going to the bathroom) to the somewhat topical (racism against supervillians) to the downright wrong (too many jokes about Eric Clapton’s deceased child).
It was clear that the cast members had worked a great deal together. Several times during the show, especially during flashback scenes, cast members would tap one another on the shoulder. The member would instantly make way for the other comedian, who would take their place onstage.
The system worked to near-perfection. The laughs were continual, and the jokes fresh. After awhile it felt as if the show was scripted.
As one might expect, no two Upright Citizens Brigade shows are the same. Several casts tour the country and, due to the nature of the show, each show is a unique experience.
The Upright Citizens Brigade was formed 20 years ago and has since gained a reputation for producing talented comedians. Their performances became so popular they opened two studios to teach their improv methods to inspiring jokesters. Actors like Saturday Night Live’s Amy Poehler, Horatio Sanz and The Daily Show’s Rob Riggle and Ed Helms got their start performing for the troupe.
Several troupes tour the country, and one will return to the Harmon on March 27. For tickets, visit http://www.dccomedy.org/ or call the box office at 202-547-1122.
Vagina Monologues Tickets on Sale February 2, 2010
Posted by style in : Style , add a commentPatrick Wall, Style Editor
For campuses across the country, February means two things: cold weather and the return of The Vagina Monologues. This year, George Mason University welcomes the show back to Harris Theater for three shows of laughter, tears and awareness.
Monologues is a widely-acclaimed play based on real-life interviews of women conducted by the play’s writer Eve Ensler. The monologues, performed by students, range from serious to light-hearted but focus on women’s empowerment.
The monologues are part of V-Day, an anti-violence campaign started by Ensler. According to vday.org, the movement works to end violence of all kinds against women and girls. This year, the organization is spotlighting the large-scale atrocities committed against the women and girls of Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
Shows will be held Friday, February 5 at 8 p.m. and Saturday, February 6 at 2 and 8 p.m. Tickets for the show are $5 for students, $10 for faculty and staff and $25 for the public. Group tickets are also available at a discounted price. To purchase tickets, visit the GMU Concert Hall box office, call (703)-993-2787 or visit tickets.com. Proceeds from the show will go to the GMU Victims of Violence Fund and Women for Women International.
A New Low in Diet Disorders February 2, 2010
Posted by style in : Style , add a commentPatrick Wall, Style Editor
By all accounts, Kathleen MacDonald was a normal child. She was a little thin, but she was a runner – it wasn’t anything out of the ordinary. Despite this, MacDonald says she was dying. Growing up, her mother taught her that thin was the way to be. So at age 12, she stopped eating lunch, a habit she’d keep for 16 years.
As she got older, MacDonald’s illness brought her to the brink of death. To disguise it, she started drinking heavily. Her condition cost her friends, jobs and even an education – she was kicked out of college three times. All seemed lost. Then, in July of 2002, MacDonald traveled to Washington, DC to give a testimony in front of Congress. The topic? The severity of eating disorders.
Her speech was raw and heartbreaking. “I do not want to live my life as a result of anorexia,” MacDonald said before the House of Representatives. “However, I am scared that I might have been sick for too long now, and I wonder if the costs of anorexia will force me to become part of the 2-5 percent statistic of eating disorder victims who take their own life.”
But it was there that she met the three people who would change her life. After her speech, she was greeted by the parents of girls who had died as a result of their eating disorders.
This had a profound effect on MacDonald, who said she began her recovery the next day. Her recovery took a lot of work and required a major lifestyle change, but MacDonald eventually overcame her eating disorder.
Her story isn’t unusual. According to the Eating Disorders Coalition (EDC), for whom MacDonald now works, over 11 million Americans suffer from some kind of eating disorder. And these disorders are beginning to develop in children of younger ages. It’s not unusual for kids as young as 3 to develop an eating disorder.
For her, these presentations are a way to combat the disease by helping those who are in the position she once was in.
MacDonald visited George Mason University on January 15 to speak with students from the Chi Sigma Iota (CSI) sorority, members of the women’s cross country team and interested community members. CSI President Megan Ibbotson says that she hopes to have another similar presentation later in the semester.
MacDonald began her presentation with a slideshow sharing the stories of girls who had lost their battles with eating disorders. Alongside the girls’ pictures were quotes from family and friends expressing emotions of love and loss.
MacDonald told her story of loss, redemption and recovery and answered questions after her presentation.
Although the outlook might seem bleak, MacDonald contends this isn’t necessarily the case. She says that over the three years she has visited Mason, several students have wanted to talk with her about her story.
“It never fails that a great many [Mason] students contact me post-presentation to ask for help for themselves or for their friends,” MacDonald said in an e-mail, “Last year after presenting to only one sorority, I received 15 e-mails asking for help.”
If you or someone you know is suffering from an eating disorder, visit http://www.eatingdisorderscoalition.org to learn what you can do.
The Year in Cinema: A Frequent Flyer, Precious, An Old Man and a Bunch of Basterds Claim Top Spots February 2, 2010
Posted by style in : Style , add a commentRoss Bonaime, Staff Writer
2009 was a year that ended the last decade on a good note. 2009 was the year of 3D, vampire love and the return of Sandra Bullock.
Films broke box office records (Avatar), defied expectations (Paranormal Activity) and showed that animation was very important to filmmaking (Fantastic Mr. Fox).
To wrap up this landmark year in film, here are the best and worst of 2009.
The Worst
3. The Limits of Control
A man with no name sits at a coffee shop. A stranger shows up, asks him the same questions that the person before him has asked and the same questions the person after him will ask. They trade matchstick boxes.The man receives a piece of paper, reads it and then eats the paper.
Then it all repeats. Over and over. For two hours. The film ends in a third act that tries for a message but by that point, it’s too late to save this pretentious and dull film.
2. Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
When watching Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, it’s hard not to think that you are the butt of some elaborate joke led by Director Michael Bay.
Bay attempts to bury this asinine film with explosions and terrible one-liners in a hope to distract viewers from what they are actually watching: a stinking pile of trash.
1. Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li
The original Street Fighter is considered one of the worst video game movies of all time. The newest film in the Street Fighter franchise keeps up the family tradition.
The movie takes some of the worst characters from the game, played by Taboo from the Black Eyed Peas and easily the worst performance of the year by Chris Klein, pieces them together into a terrible, nonsense story and accomplishes a disaster that is an embarrassment to two forms of entertainment at the same time.
The Best
7. A Single Man
Colin Firth’s incredible performance anchored the agonizing story of a man who loses his lover of 16 years in a car accident.
Firth is restrained and masks a deep layer of pain in one of the year’s best performances, while fashion designer Tom Ford directs a film that is just as stylized and gorgeously shot as it is heart-wrenching.
6. Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire
The story of an illiterate girl pregnant with her second child from her father and dealing with her abusive mother was one of the toughest and most inspiring films of the year.
Director Lee Daniel’s harsh portrayal of the lives that some people have to endure opened eyes and touched hearts.
5. Up in the Air
George Clooney plays a man who won’t settle down (typecasting?) and who would rather live in planes without attachments than on the ground.
Jason Reitman directs a film that feels like it could be a 1940s quick-witted comedy, while also dealing with prioritizing what is most important in life.
4. Moon
Sam Rockwell’s portrayal of a man who works on the moon for three years and starts to question his sanity and his employers is one of the most fascinating films of 2009. This quiet, underrated drama makes for one of the best sci-fi films of the last decade.
3.(500) Days of Summer
In this unconventional romantic comedy, Joseph Gordon-Levitt plays a man who believes he may have found “the one” when he meets Zooey Deschanel, yet she may not feel the same way. (500) Days of Summer is a refreshing change from the usual romantic fare.
2.Up
After ten films, Pixar has cemented themselves as the Scorseses of animation. They showcase all of their great talents with Up, one of the most touching films of the year. The story of a man hoping to grant his wife’s final wishes is guaranteed to leave you crying just after the first fifteen minutes, but will still entertain you throughout.
1.Inglourious Basterds
Quentin Tarantino threw history books to the side and created an alternate World War II, where Brad Pitt leads a ground of Nazi hunters, known as the “Basterds,” to try and inflict pain to the ones who have caused so much pain themselves.
Tarantino builds tension to the point of explosion, especially when newcomer Christoph Waltz as the “Jew Hunter” Col. Hans Landa is on the screen in several scenes–stealing performances.
Tarantino has made great films over the last two decades that have helped shift the ideals of modern filmmaking, but Basterds may be his masterpiece.
Starbucks Hosts Local Music: Mason Musician Performs for Tuesday Jams February 2, 2010
Posted by style in : Style , add a commentDylan Hares, Staff Writer
The sound of music wafting through the air on Tuesday could be heard by all those passing through Chesapeake on their way to Starbucks. The music they heard was coming from Vincent Lacsamana, a senior finance major at George Mason University. He was the first performer on the bill for Program Board’s Tuesday Jams, held last week.
Students may remember that for the past few semesters, Tuesday Jams had been hosted in Jazzman’s on the bottom floor of the JC, but due to the small attendance numbers, Program Board moved its event to Starbucks, a more popular coffee shop in a more traffic-heavy location.
Luckily, Tuesday provided nice (albeit brisk) weather for the show to go on outside on the patio.
Lacsamana opened up with a wonderful Jason Mraz cover, following up with emotional, acoustic versions of many popular songs from the likes of Justin Timberlake, Maroon 5 and Death Cab for Cutie. He also played a sweet and touching version of T-Pain’s “Buy U a Drank.”
Lacsamana displayed his vocal and guitar skill for a solid hour in the on-and-off cold wind to the attentive crowd. Applause was hard to come by but everyone passing by looked and seemed interested. With any luck, we will see much more of this student and his talent before he graduates.
Program Board hopes their events will pick up steam in the new location. Look and listen for Tuesday Jams every Tuesday at the new Starbucks. To see a schedule of performances for Tuesday Jams and other on-campus events, visit http://pb.gmu.edu.
The Upright Citizens Brigade Visits the District: Improv Troupe to Perform this Weekend February 2, 2010
Posted by style in : Style , add a commentPatrick Wall, Style Editor
The Daily Show has been employing their alumni for years. So has Saturday Night Live. No, it’s not a university – it’s the improv comedy troupe known as The Upright Citizens Brigade.
The troupe will be performing four shows over two days at the Harman Center for the Arts this Friday and Saturday.
The Brigade formed in 1990 by a group of comedians from Chicago including SNL’s Matt Besser and Horatio Sanz. After nearly ten years in Chicago, the group moved to New York City where they performed and gave lessons on improvisational comedy.
Their stage show became so popular that they opened their own improv studio in New York. In 1998, the troupe earned its own show on Comedy Central.
The self-titled show featured the troupe’s most famous cast, including Besser, Ian Roberts, Matt Walsh and Amy Poehler. Despite rave reviews from critics, the show ended after three seasons.
Although the cast has since changed, the troupe tours the country, performing its edgy and hilarious comedy for eager audiences all over the world.
Audiences and critics alike have praised them for their work, including former late night host Conan O’Brien who said, “They are doing the type of manic, original, inventive stuff I’m always interested in.”
For tickets, visit http://red-swingline.com/ucb. Shows take place Friday, Jan. 29 and Saturday, Jan. 30 at 7:30 and 9:45 both nights.
Contra Breaks New Ground: Vampire Weekend’s Sophomore Album Delivers the Goods February 2, 2010
Posted by style in : Style , add a commentRamy Zabarah, Broadside Correspondent
Since their sudden appearance in 2008, Vampire Weekend has been one of the more unique bands in the indie rock scene.
Their self-titled debut album brought them the popularity such a group could only dream of having, especially considering New York City has no dearth of local indie bands.
And with popularity comes great responsibility.
Contra, the band’s second album, does not disappoint. In fact, it only gets better with each listen. A huge step up from the self-produced first album, Contra has the same indie pop sound with the same African influence reminiscent of Paul Simon’s Graceland with a fuller, more mature and better-produced mix. Not to mention electronic drums!
Vampire Weekend can be defined by their unique use of percussion, distinct guitar tones and lead singer Ezra Koenig’s raw vocals. Fortunately, none of these have been compromised.
The opening track “Horchata” is a soft, percussion-heavy song that is sure to put you in the mood to sit back, relax, and do absolutely nothing but sip on your favorite drink and wonder where your worries went.
Did I already mention electronic drums? Vampire Weekend doesn’t shy away from them. But instead of taking away from the music, they add to it. Contra brings the perfect blend of synthetic and analog instruments.
“California English,” the fourth track on the album, displays instrumentation rarely used well in music Auto-Tune. That’s right, the technology made popular by artists such as T-Pain, Kanye West and Lil’ Wayne has now found its way into indie pop.
The album’s lead single, “Cousins,” is an up-beat track that is sure to make you want to dance.
The eighth track, and one of the record’s best, “Giving up the Gun,” has the strange ability to make you want to fall asleep on a beach while simultaneously prompting you to dance around in your seat.
The perfect combination of soothing melody and up-beat percussion makes for a wonderful morning commute song. I say that from experience.
The album is also one big pop culture reference, mostly to the 1980 Clash album, Sandanista!
The Contras were a right-wing resistance group opposite the Marxist Sandanista National Liberation Front in late 1970s and 1980s Nicaragua. The Clash’s album refers to that.
In addition, Koenig cites the 1987 video game “Contra” as another influence for the name of the album.
If you’re looking for a light listen with just the right amount of pep, this is the album for you.
In Bed with Billy: Go Long, Go Strong February 2, 2010
Posted by Sonya Hudson in : Style , add a commentBilly Curtis, Sex Columnist
Men have always been obsessed with their penises – their size, shape and even their capabilities to function properly. Freud, among others, made many inquiries and theories regarding the penis, and then there is my personal favorite to witness: the male preoccupation with size that can be seen with every moron driving a Hummer or big SUV to compensate for their lack of height . . . or rather length.
But when function isn’t exactly attainable for the penis during intercourse, it is the partner who is left hanging (pun intended) that suffers just as much – if not more – than the person who is actually dangling with impotence. Luckily, I’ve never had a problem in the erection department, but I can’t say the same for some of the people I’ve dated in the past.
In “Women and Impotence: A Woman’s Point of View About Male Impotence” by Colette Bouchez, Andrew McCullough, director of sexual health at New York University Medical Center, notes that partners tend to take erectile dysfunction to heart: “Women internalize things – they tend to blame themselves first,” and he continues to explain that this is because partners think that it is something they have done wrong, or maybe that their partner no longer finds them attractive.
Generally, though, this is not true. Most cases of erectile dysfunction have nothing to do with the partner, which was something I had to learn the hard way back in 2007.
Mr. Madison, an ex of mine who filled the pages of Broadside during a past semester, was a great boyfriend, but it seemed that after a vacation to my previous home, New York City, all bets were off.
Every attempt at sex during the vacation was a failure, barring one. In the middle of having sex, he went limp, couldn’t explain it and just ran to the bathroom. I didn’t know what to do or how to react, so I did the one thing that I knew would help clear my head.
I went walking around my city and didn’t return until four in the morning. What can I say? If you give me an iPod and leave me to be alone with my thoughts – especially back home – I can easily get lost. When I returned, I was welcomed with fear, confusion and anger. It’s safe to say that Mr. Madison’s problem wasn’t the only one that caused our imminent demise, but it was certainly a contributing factor because he was unwilling to come to terms with what was affecting him. It became such a problem that when we broke up, to this day, I still remember him telling me that after awhile, he felt that sex was almost like a chore. And in the end, he wasn’t the last guy I slept with who would have a problem getting it up.
But who was really the victim in this situation? After coming to terms with his possible dysfunction, I tried my best to help him, boost his ego and make him think that this problem didn’t matter to me; however, I was a bad faker, and he knew me too well. It seemed as though the more I tried to help him, the more he pushed away, so I dropped him and, eventually, the relationship.
A year later when my friend Eric came to me with the same problem, I was more educated on how one should handle this dilemma and, with the willingness of their partner, how to either cure it or learn to live with it using alternative methods. I told him that the only way this problem could be solved was if his boyfriend could come to terms and take it hard on. If he couldn’t, then Eric would either have to make the choice of leaving his boyfriend or learn to live with Captain Limp-dick.
While discussing these situations with my friend Hadley, I wondered why this dysfunction was affecting guys at such a young age. I mean, I know that at some point in every man’s life they will experience some form of ED, but to see it in so many men ranging from ages 20-30 puzzled me. I had to ask myself, would Viagra end up becoming the new drug of choice, and not because of recreational use, but more for the soul purpose of achieving an erection? What could be the causes? Could it be the fact that our generation eats way too much fast food, ultimately destroying our cardiovascular systems? Or maybe it’s a combination of various other cofactors?
And then Hadley made a comment that I never thought about before: Maybe it wasn’t them that had the problem, but rather, maybe it was me for internally and subconsciously picking these men, whom she believed were incapable of dealing with their emotions properly, thus causing their dysfunctional sex events. Was I really choosing men that were unable to deal with their emotions to such an extent that their libido and erections were affected? But how could you even look for the warning signs of a sexually distraught soft shaft?
According to www.medicinenet.com, if you are experiencing stress, it can majorly alter your package abilities. If your partner’s stress level overwhelms them, they won’t be able to “establish enough parasympathetic input to the penis to get the erection in the first place. The result is stress-induced impotence.”
Either way, whether due to stress, liquor, embarrassment, cold conditions – whatever, leaving your partner hanging is hazardous to a relationship’s health.
If you’ve experienced the other side of the erectile dysfunction, then you know how depressed and rejected it can make you feel. Your options are simple: either work with him to solve the problem without coming off as an overbearing partner who wants their boyfriend’s penis back, or end the relationship if you’re that sexually frustrated.
If you’re not going to try and make it work, then your relationship will go limp faster than your boyfriend’s penis. After all, it is, has and always will take two to make a relationship work.
Rate My Professor February 2, 2010
Posted by style in : Style , add a commentEvan Benton, Staff Writer
When I first came to George Mason University at the tail end of the glorious, eye-awakening summer of 2006, I braced myself for what, at the time, seemed like the only part of college I should prepare for: the classes.
I was told by a plethora of former students and high school teachers prior to my college career that, “In college, I will be just a number in a sea of faces; a student with no identity, whose only method of communicating with his professors is via e-mail, as they don’t take questions during class.”
This is a rough paraphrase of what I was told, but every one of those sentiments was expressed in some way to me.
I found out quickly that this was not the case and, except in classes that are laughably nonessential for majors like mine (EVPP 110, SOC 101, IT 103), I have been exposed to many classes of the most intimate and friendly variety.
College professors, like the aforementioned classes they taught, I figured, would be different from the many high school teachers I had over the years: men and women with higher salaries, many of them published authors. These were people that were so professional that the trials and tribulations of one student’s life was never their problem.
Once again I found myself refreshingly misinformed, and I can honestly say that I still stay in contact with some of my past professors, whose advice and guidance will always be appreciated.
But, as my grandmother is fond of saying – although sometimes I’m not sure what she’s implying when she says it directly to me – there are always some rotten apples in the basket.
In middle school (Peter Muhlenberg Middle School in rural Woodstock, Va.), I had a teacher named Mrs. Clarke who refused to teach our science textbook’s evolution rhetoric because it was “simply wrong.”
When we were supposed to be learning about Darwin and how some exotic hummingbirds’ beaks are shaped perfectly to fit a rare flower and just that flower, she scoffed and mocked her way through it, and we were told to “think for ourselves,” apparently as long as the thinking was done with a Bible in hand. Aside from bored, postpartum depressed teachers in high school, this was my worst experience up to college.
At Mason, I’ve had my share.
Creative writing teachers that tell you how your prose should have been written by citing examples from their own published work.
Math professors that ask why you don’t understand when the entire class does, rolling their eyes so often when you raise your hand in class that you just stop entirely.
A conflict resolution professor that wrongfully accuses the class of laughing at her disability, a communication professor who yells at the class because they don’t appreciate his correspondent work from the Eighties.
These are firsthand events I have experienced and, initially, I met them with anger or wrote them off as pathetic. A person in a professor’s position can’t afford to compromise their professionalism like that, I thought.
But in hindsight, and with almost my whole college career in the rear-view mirror, I assess now that they are only human, individuals with the same problems as us, sometimes much greater ones – and at times, they get defensive and embarrassed, or want to bring up their glory days because, well, they miss them.
We students aren’t easy to get along with, I realize this. And we sometimes don’t give those that should be respected their due.
Except you, my math teacher from sophomore year who was so demeaning and abrasive that I selectively withdrew from your class. Hopefully, now two years later, you’re struggling with a new job, divorced and soaked in liquor.