Aw, that's sad for Minet and her mom. And for you, Theo!

Kids These Days are definitely always the worst. I do wonder if anyone is rewarding people for these outrageous requests -- shouldn't they die off if they never work?

Last night's most upsetting conversation was a parent who wanted his 11th grader to be able to turn in late and missing work (policy says no late work) so that he could pass the class.

Kids need to learn about consequences! Otherwise they become adults who don't understand consequences and aggravate the junk out of the rest of us.

So you know I have agita about (lack of) diversity here, and especially on my team? So I'm all excited to be hiring a more junior person, in hopes that that will help. The first group of applicants I see online are beautifully diverse, and mostly plenty qualified! But of course I'm already committed to phone screening two white women, because they have connections...

But of course I'm already committed to phone screening two white women, because they have connections...

Connections are how you preserve the monoculture!

degrees now seem to be a necessity

Yeah, which has the corollary that for them, having a degree is no longer a distinction, so then they panic about grades so they can be on the Dean's List, etc, and qualify for blahbittyblah internship, etc.

What surprises me is that I meet with every student at least once about the paper, and I am fairly honest (but nice!) in my criticism when I am looking at a mediocre draft, so they should know what's coming down the pike! But instead they will debate with me on every point I make, as if they just need to talk me into agreeing that their paper is fine as opposed to figuring out how to revise it. Most maddening is when they come to me after having supposedly worked on the topic for a couple weeks and they still haven't done any research beyond Google. Argh!

Oh, and the winner this week is the student who said to me, "I've been trying to do research on global food insecurity, but I honestly don't care and it's all really boring. What should I do?" Uh, change topics? He's a business major, so I suggested he look into food distribution and addressing inequities in food distribution, and there was a brief glimmer of hope there. But honestly, I am sure once he starts doing the research, that'll be boring too.

So I'm all excited to be hiring a more junior person, in hopes that that will help.

Same. I am hiring someone in Oxford (England, not Mississippi) and I was able to choose a Peruvian-born candidate. Over the well-connected white guy. Doing my part!

Dude, it's research. Unless you work for Nerve, research won't get you off. The point is sort of the follow-through, which I have to say you're failing at, right this minute. Also, if you don't care that people go hungry and die, you're an asshole.(Granted, you would be a very exceptional person if you mourned them all like kin or something, but still.)

Timelies all!

Sorry about the bad day, Jesse.

I'm building a pillow fort. It's not quite an island, but anyone who wants to join me, bar's open.

(eta: things are fine, just the usual terror that goes along with unknown and, you know, soul-baring; plus Things My Mom Said In Email. AKA the usual.)