Liveblogging Your Personal Final Exam Nightmares: Hoisted from the Archives from Four Years Ago
Hearst Gymnasium 230: So there I was, hanging out in Hearst Gymnasium 230 waiting for my final exam to begin at 12:30. And people began showing up--my students, and some others. "Is this the room for the exam for the Soc 160 exam?" the others would say.
"Well," I said, "I don't think so. This is the room for the Econ 115 exam."
I went to the computer and consulted the final exam schedule: "Soc 160: 4 Leconte 5:30-8:30 Thursday December 17" the registrar said.
"I'm sorry," I said.
Their faces turned ashen.
They said: "But our teacher just emailed us! She told us that our exam had been moved from Evans to Hearst Gym 230!"
I went back to the computer: "Soc 160: 4 Leconte 5:30-8:30 Thursday December 17" it still said.
"I'm sorry," I said.
They huddled off in a corner. "Should we go back to Evans?" they asked. "The registar says your exam was yesterday afternoon in LeConte," I pointed out..
And more arrived. Now there were fifteen. I started changing my answer:
The registrar says your exam was yesterday evening, but since there are fifteen of you here I now declare it to be a social fact that this is the exam for Sociology 160.
I'll write a big sociology-of-culture essay question on the blackboard and then send the exams with a note to the teacher, I thought to myself...
Then Professor Fourcade showed up to save the day...
We consulted. I went back to my computer. Now it said: "Soc 160: 220 Hearst 12:30-3:30 Friday December 18."
"It said something different half an hour ago," I said. "It says 220," I said.
We looked down the hall. 220 was completely empty--not a soul in it.
Professor Fourcade shrugged. "The registrar emailed me 230," she said.
And now for the past twenty minutes students have been shamefacedly coming up to the front, and asking to switch their exams--either Econ or Soc--for the other one.
I wonder how many of the students will do the wrong exam and hand it in?
Two 200+ people courses in one converted basketball court. We are surely breaking the fire laws...
