<p>someone wants to learn the whole material for a quiz (that starts in two hours) in one discussion session? </p>
<p>Here, let me explain: "Tim" thinks that going to lectures is for losers. Why should one be bothered with a lecture that is as early as <em>gasp</em> 11:00 in the morning, when the class is webcasted, and has fairly well-written lecture notes on bspace? Attending previous discussion sessions is not an option either - what is there to discuss? The topic can't be that hard yet, since we've started it two weeks ago...</p>
<p>... but what's this? A change in heart? Tim appears after the first four lectures. Thinking, that everyone has to appreciate his presence, he, unsuspectingly sits down in the second row of the lecture theater, right next to the four GSIs. He pops his notebook open. 5 minutes into the lecture Tim decides that he has to take a short break from the active note-taking, he opens a digital photograph he made with his camera phone in front of the mirror, and polishes it up a bit with his professional photoshop skills. Just a few moments pass, and everyone seems to be packing, so Tim does the same. He comes home, uploads the photograph on his facebook account, and proudly tells his friends that he understood everything in the lecture.</p>
<p>Days pass, and the night before the dreaded quiz, Tim realizes that he has no idea what topics were covered so far, and that it is already sleepy time. 10 hours of sleep is a must for a man as proud as Tim, so he goes to bed, thinking that he'll quickly flip through the lecture notes tomorrow, and if there will not be enough time for that, there's always plan B. </p>
<p>Morning comes, and the hated alarm clock goes off. Tim thinks that he deserves another 30 minutes of sleep, so he sets the new time on his phone, and lets nature take its course. After waking up for the second time, Tim puts on his clothes, brushes his teeth, and decides to continue straight onto plan B. What's the point of having one, if you never have to resort to it, right?</p>
<p>Plan B, a discussion session, scheduled by our lovely GSI, who reminded us of the quiz every day for the past week. She sent a lot of supporting material, advised on extra reading, and was kind enough to answer any questions by e-mail within 15 minutes. Her mission is to prepare us for the quiz. </p>
<p>"Before I go over the problem set for today... are there any questions?"</p>
<p>Well, well, well... Tim's hand flies into the air. His mother taught him: "don't be afraid of asking questions" and "there are no stupid questions". Tim wants to know a lot of things. "Could you explain -insert a thing that everyone else knows, and that has been discussed like 10 times on the previous session and emphasized on nearly all lectures-". "Sarah" (our lovely GSI), thinking that it is a very important concept, takes her time to explain it properly, but Tim's facial expression shows a total lack of understanding. He stops Sarah after 10 minutes, and asks a question that should have been answered by simply paying attention to what Sarah just said (and having minimal common sense).</p>
<p>Sarah, as lovely and patient as she is, starts explaining it again. It seems like Tim has understood the concept, but there are many more to understand, and the test is now only 100 minutes away. After the fourth consecutive question, Tim stops wasting his precious energy on raising his hand, and just asks whenever he feels the urge to do so. Even when Sarah is right in the middle of the sentence. Sarah keeps explaining, Tim keeps asking.</p>
<p>I, and the people around me suddenly start to make subtle movements. The very cute asian girl next to me gives Tim a look that one can only see in their nightmares. The guy to the left gives a drawn out sigh. As for me... I suddenly find the pen I am holding very aggravating, so I start applying pressure on it to let the anger inside me loose. Better to break the pen, than Tim's nose...</p>
<p>Minutes pass, and Tim finally shuts up. Sarah, now turns to the problem set, and we discuss the answer to the first question, when I hear the annoying voice again: "So, what you're saying is -insert something that has not been even remotely implied-. I bury my face in my palms. What a rare case of idiotism...</p>
<p>The session ends, we managed to get through 4 questions (out of 7). Tim materializes next to Sarah before anyone else can make it there and points out the most pressing issue: "The session I am registered to does not suit me, because (and he actually said this) I generally have lunch at this time". Oh, Sarah, how patient can you be? "I see, well, I'll need your name, e-mail, and the name of the GSI from the other session", a minute later "Thank you, Sarah". Tim leaves. The rest of the class lines up to discuss something more important, like the material for today's quiz, because the previous hour was wasted on Tim. </p>
<p>...</p>
<p>We sit down for the quiz. I look around. Almost everyone has their notes in their hands. The exception, Tim, who is talking about how drunk he'll get in the evening. After the test everyone is relieved, it was not difficult. Very easy even. </p>
<p>But wait, I overhear a conversation between Tim and the person who sat next to him: "What the hell? "John" (our lecturer) never went over this material, and we didn't discuss it earlier today either. Nevermind, it's worth only 10 point, right?".</p>
<p>Yes, only 10 points, which is quickly rounded down to 0 in Tim's mind. He'll still get an A, after all - the the class is webcasted, and has fairly well-written lecture notes on bspace.</p>