Public Service Announcement Number Two
by Kyla
I spent some time this morning looking online to see if I could find something, written by VIU, that would put an end to the debate about whether or not class ends at quarter after or twenty after the hour (or quarter to or ten to the hour, depending). I could not. However, I would like to make this very simple for people:
If the professor is talking, class is not over.
I was in a class on Thursday when about half the people started shuffling papers at not quarter after the hour, not twenty after the hour, but at eleven minutes after. So, first of all, class is obviously not done yet, so don’t be such an asshole. Second of all, the professor is actually still talking, so don’t be such an asshole, unless, of course, on the day that you have to give an oral presentation in class, it’s totally okay with you if half the people start packing up books, talking to their neighbours, and standing up to put on their jackets, even though you are giving your presentation well within the class time. If you think that’s perfectly okay, by all means, have at ‘er. If, on the other hand, you’d think it was a) disconcerting and b) totally rude, do not be such an asshole yourself.
I know that as students we are just awash with self-importance and our time is precious. Let’s face it, we need that full break between each class so we can run down and get some coffee, check our e-mails, and flirt with that guy/girl we always pass in the hall. Dudes, I get it. But if someone else is talking, don’t fucking stand up and start to walk out. I am willing to agree that if it’s, you know, well past the twenty-after/ten-to mark, it might be time to start making overt noises that it’s time for us to go, but let me tell you, if you’re doing that at 17 after, 15 after, or, god forbid, at 11 after as the students in my Thursday class were, then you are being… well, a douchebag. So stop. There is a human in front of you who is talking. Pretend that you care. Pretend that you are actually in class to learn, and thus, call me crazy, what the professor is saying may actually be important to you.
This is about basic human politeness. There is nothing so urgent in any of our lives means we can not sit for the last, oh, three minutes of class, to let our professors finish their thoughts/instructions. Really? Three minutes? And if you cannot muster up the politeness/courtesy to sit for those three minutes, you might want to take a good look at your own:
a) sense of self-importance
b) sense of self-involvement
c) sense of entitlement
d) appearance as an absolute fucking douchebag.
Thank you for your kind consideration of this matter.
One Final Year 
What else is there to say? Pretty clear to me.
wowser! You tell ’em Kyla! I do agree. In fact, if my class was doing something similar to me, I would make them stay after the bell, but also tell those that are listening, in a low/quiet tone, that their politeness has been noted, and the answer to question #2 on tomorrow’s test will be: blind purple people eater.
So, I was sitting around this morning in my underwear and my brother’s old tube socks, and I realized that this blog post might sound a little…harsh. Let me be clear: I do not in anyway think that any of my fellow students are, and I quote, “fucking douchebags.” I merely note that should any of them decide to start packing up their backpacks, texting their gf/bf/both, talking to their neighbour, or standing up in an effort to leave, while it is still class time and the professor is still actively talking, they *appear* as “fucking douchebags”. I am sure they are, in all likelihood, lovely people, each and every one of them.
With special gifts in the douchebag arena…
Exactly.
Kyla,
after our many long discussions in the cafeteria, on the walk to (your) classes, in the library, at your house, at the picnic tables, and coffee shops .. you should know that I think of you every time someone starts to pack up before class is officially over . I should print this out and take it to every classroom at UVic and place it on each chair so they know how serious I am about this .
Please do.
(By the way, I find it deeply suspicious that you always had to walk with me to my classes but I never walked with you with yours. I hope you make better friends at UVic, let’s face it.)
Just to add: class is also not over if another student is still speaking.
(This happened to me this week. I’m always astonished that students think they don’t have to listen to each other.)