A quiz to remember

Most of us would have been in a situation in which an impending quiz given at short notice would spell disaster. Its not that you are petrified of the quiz, but breaking into a hysteric in order to cover the chapters required. ‘The mafia’ announced Tuesday a quiz from 5 chapters to be held the next class on Thursday. 24 hours are simply not sufficient to cover 150 pages while eliminating time lapsed for lectures and other matters. We followed a Roman strategy tested and proven through time- divide and conquer. I read two and chapters while MB read the rest, the reason was following a hunch, a gut feeling. Besides, the lecturer hinted on separating the chapters amongst group members and having a discussion to increase learning.

All the students had to enter the class together and we were a bit late, which made our group mates send a text message. Both of us bolted up the stairs in lightening speed similar to performing a fire drill. Everyone was quickly giving us way, and I heard a few mild shrieks from some girls. We sprinted 3 levels in record time.

Upon entering the class we were ordered to pile all of our belongings on one desk and only take a pen each. Then everyone sat according to respective groups. ‘The mafia’ started explaining how we were going to do the quiz. Each group would answer 4 sets of question papers inclusive of bonus questions; the group to finish first are given marks and the rest in descending order. Customary of a group exercise we could discuss within our group, but she also gave more constraints: if you refer to the book for every reference minus 15 marks, if you ask the lecturer for assistance minus 10 marks, if you ask another group minus 5 marks. If you think this is hard to fathom you ain’t seen nothin’ yet!!

Every set of questions were different in theory and laced with practical aspects never experienced before. Just after we started the quiz she kept on saying “the door is open.” As she kept on repeating it like a mantra, we thought it’s got to be something important. It so happened that she expected us to leave ask in order to find answers to some practical questions. We wasted no time in sending one of our mates to answer one of them. Then there was a question needing counting the number of stairs a lecturer climbed during a normal day. Indeed, this was very taxing on a physical level. In the first two sets the practical question was included, but after the third things got more interesting. She had made a miniature bowling lane with water bottles as pins, and for each pin you knock down, the reward is half a mark. You think I’m joking, but think again. Next, it was the chicken dance, but first we had to learn it, and it was taught by the lecturers’ niece. This little girl would have been about 7 years or so and was unimaginably bossy, the worse part was ‘the mafia’ looked docile compared to her. I pity the future guys who are going to approach this girl. She made as rehearse the chicken dance no less than 5 times even going to the extent of pointing out our flaws. We had to perform the dance as a group and another niece rated us. For a demo please make a request in advance. I hope our group kicked ass!!

The final adventure just blew our mind. Every group had to eat apples and they would be timed to see who is fastest. Can you imagine doing all this for a quiz?? And we get marks for this. I’m quite sure that our group has the best timing in 1:15:37 minutes. We challenge any quartet out there, but given prior notice. I had a fantastic time, and for the first time learning was enjoyable, not to mention getting food.

At the end of class we were told that she wanted to prove a point. The point being, she can be very strict and also at the same time be fun. I didn’t pass out on the chance to tell her “madam, you rock!!” I really meant every word of it. She can go to extremes and still surprise you with something that is beyond comprehension. This was the best quiz I’ve ever had by far.

What’s with your attitude??

Final semester, I think, for most would be a kind of reflection on all the things they’ve done and accumulated throughout their tenure of tertiary education. More I think about this, I realise that the final semester is being more action packed and eventful than ever. One subject in which both worlds- the good and bad- fuse into is international management taught as mentioned before by an iron lady- ‘the mafia’. On a good day, the learning experience is indeed beautiful and unparallel, and this would occur if no ‘jackass’ does something stupid in class. In contrast, if someone screws up (yea...that’s the word!!!), the proverb ‘hell hath no fury like a woman scorned’ is very apt. Do believe me when I say that stupidity courses through most of the students taking this subject, which makes me wonder if these people can actually cope with university standards. Would you believe me if I told you that a group collectively missed out 3 questions (that’s all there were) when answering a case, and came out with a completely absurd analysis?? This group included 5 people (2 men and 3 women), which speaks volumes about their collective IQ. This is even after events that transpired giving people a heads-up of what would happen if they came out with below par performance.

Come to think of it, I can understand how ‘the mafia’ feels when students don’t live up to certain expectations. She is indeed a passionate lecturer giving her best and nothing less. It is justified to be fed up when students repeat the same mistake over and over again. I’m to a great extent sure of the fact that we are her worst class because it’s a no-brainer. Sure, there are individuals who are not in the soup, but when taken collectively we have failed. Maybe this is why the ummah of today can’t achieve what it wants. Our entire approach and attitude must be skewed, thus not achieving the desired objectives. Every time a person makes a blunder in class everyone gets an earful, and I mean at some point you can take it anymore. You think those idiots will learn after the incident, but that’s just too much to ask.

Working in a group requires a lot of cohesion, and it should make a lot of things efficient. That would be how people see it- right?? Wrong!!! I have seriously not come across such inconsiderate group members before, and it all had to happen in my last sem. Apparently, going back to ones home town is so crucial that coming early to campus is too much to ask. If that’s not enough, a crucial part of the assignment was completely missing when I was compiling the project. Then, I’m sitting there looking at my pc screen and thinking ‘wtf??’ Later, I started doing the missing part frustrated and cursing my guts out. I really felt like taking a call to that girl and blasting her to bits. But, being a patient man got the better of me and it didn’t happen. I very much loathe sub-standard effort and the ‘don’t care’ attitude; it results in me having to do extra work. Then there was me waiting over 30 min for a scheduled meeting only to find out it had been cancelled, but you were not informed. Ain’t it just a bitch??

This post is nothing else but to vent my anger at ungrateful people. If you give 100% while your group member doesn’t even come close, how would you feel?? I’d feel pretty pissed off. One cardinal rule about a patient man is never piss him off because behaviour of these people is unpredictable. I happen to be one of them. When I lose my temper, I have little care for the well being of the person responsible for it. Then all I think about is how much pain I can inflict and make life miserable for that person. If it leads to a brawl, then so be it. Hey, there is a limit to pushing a man too far; life has been brawl-free since I came to Malaysia.

Yesterday, a demented nut of a man (and no...my words are not harsh) was seen meddling with his phone during a lecture with ‘the mafia’, which was an extra class. She started with an irritated remark that lead to a full pitched “get out” being repeated continuously until the perp left the class. As he neared the exit, she banged her fist on the table in front of her- that made me jump. I say, there was no harm in that. Then she took sometime of recover and went on with the lecture with some attitude modification. She answered two calls while lecturing to us, and even sent a few text messages. During one of the calls she told the caller “my students are very inconsiderate”, and that made me go “ouch!!” After the call she gave a one-liner “so....how do you feel now??” That comment really hurt me a lot, even though, it was not my mistake. She then said “if you give me attitude.....I reply with an attitude that is multiplied ten thousand times.” From that point onwards everything took a downhill course. One thing I got to know from this is that her ringtone is ‘sweet child o’ mine’ by Guns n’ Roses. Talk about being hip because I can get down with that yo!!

Realising the fact that you have received so much scolding within a span of almost a month from just one lecturer is quite sad. It’s more than enough to last all the four years of your university life.