Grad Student TA needs to vent about undergrads

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Yes, I have B.S. in the field from which your class is from. Yes I have access to the solutions guide. This does not make me all-knowing or all-capable. I learned this material three years ago, and need to refresh my memory because it has nothing to do with my research. Speaking of research, my adviser tends to think I should be doing that instead of spending extra time figuring out things for your class.

That computer program you are using for the problems in class I never used as an undergrad and need to learn from scratch. There are 85 of you and 1 of me. I'm sure you guys could figure out how to solve a problem with the computer program instead of waiting for me to figure out how to solve it. Yes, I'm a smart and accomplished student, but so are many of you and there is just one of me. And yes, I know it's my job to know how to do it, but I can only learn how to do it so fast, and time you're waiting of me is less time you have to do the actual problem and more questions you'll ask me.

Also please actually listen when I tell you how to do things. Questions exhaust me, and every time I have to answer something multiple times I want to scream at you.

[Rant over, resumes reasonable mode]

I know you're stressed about the class. I'm stressed about it to. Please remember your TAs are only human and often put in really difficult situations.

The students do not know, you answered the same question before

You could write a FAQ

I find it helps to listen and ask questions to explore the student's weaknesses. And see if you can find a way around them. I draw a lot more pictures than when I was in school.

At UCSD, the solid Mechanics professor had one office hour a week. Class of about 100. Structural engineering. Quarter system. He did the literal minimum.

Office hour

Office minute

Some of the TAs were totally unprepared

"What about number five" I asked


"What about number five?" The lil penis echoed


Some TAs come late to office hour


Sometimes the office was so crowded, you can't even stand inside


But of course you already know that because you were an undergraduate




f**k Steve Spence

Blame him for a "d" in structural engineering 110b, solid Mechanics.


But of course I was bad at it


Maybe I was unreasonable, in wrongfully expecting Steve Spence, to not preface every answer with "don't quote me"




It was like, Steve made students sign a waiver


not responsible for lost points due to wrong direction



Structural engineering, UCSD, was a nightmare


And I tried and failed, to commit suicide



14 years later, 500 miles away, I still dream about it at night

This was heartbreaking to read. I'm glad you failed (hopefully you are too).

TAs hate lazy professors too. They dump all the teaching/grading responsibility on to us and expect us to clean up all their messes all while doing a full research load at the same time. Somehow we're supposed to do this without getting overwhelmed or making mistakes.

For a long time, I have thought about whether I regret failing suicide

And it's correct that my "life" could have gone much worse from 21 to 36. For example, homeless, disease, disabled, crime, wrongfully jailed, whatever


But seriously, it is like, blah


Whatever


And I am not glad that I failed

Without friends every single day

The only job skills I have, are the ones that all the drug dealers and convicted felons also have


Autism

Homophobia


The world is a torture chamber, not a playground


Equal Employment opportunity commission , gender identity, 2012


And I was 29 (twenty nine)


Autism

Clinical depression


So regardless of what degree I got,

homophobia

take your dog to work day

Weird f**k personality disorders


Would have made it hard to find a job


BA cognitive science has gotten me nowhere


Minimum wage jobs after minimum wage jobs






What subject is your degree in?

My degree is in chemical engineering. My research is in a bit different direction. I don't want to reveal too much for fear that someone may identify me. (I value my anonymity online)

The jobs that I qualify for, drug dealers and convicted felons also qualify for

Outside of STEM and trades, not many jobs match the autistic personality

Restaurant retail sales, office

Minimum wage

Job description says:.

Outgoing
Extroverted
High energy
Adaptable
Multitasking
Fun
Funny
Friendly
No ", stick in the mud" personality
Team player


All the jobs I have had, or will have , are minimum wage

Anyone could fire me

And they did


And all that structural engineering got me nowhere


Sunk costs

Effort justification

Cost benefit analysis