There's One in Every Class

You know how every semester, no matter the class, you always get those same kinds of people in class?  If it isn't the student that can't be on time to class to save their life, it's the person that constantly forgets to put their phone on vibrate.  One of personal favorites is the guy who not only comes in late, but comes in late carrying a bag from Subway or Burger King.  Not only is he going to disrupt the class by entering late, but he also plans on continuing his annoying existence in class by making everyone listen to his paper bag or sandwich wrapper rustle as he eats.  You're already late jackass, just stay in the food court and eat. 

But as annoying as the late enterer/eater and the phone ringer guys may be, there is no one worse than the know-it-all.  You know the one.  He just can't wait to raise his hand or talk over anyone who dares debate him.  He or she may even argue with the professor on occasion.

I've got one of those in my Poetry class right now.  This guy never shuts up.  I don't mind people that like to speak up in class since it alleviates pressure from me to do so.  I'm not exactly forthcoming with my theories on what some 16th century English poet is trying to say in the form of a Petrarchian sonnet.     

My main beef is that this is material that is open to all kinds of different interpretation yet this guy argues his theories as if he was the one dipping the poet's quill in ink for him as he wrote (what do I mean by dipping his quill in ink?).  He raises his voice to squash any potential differing interpretation like a child who covers his ears in order to block out mommy telling him to eat his veggies.  I can't count how many times in the four meetings we've had this semester that the professor himself has said that there are no wrong answers, yet this guy remains vigilant.

On the opposite end of the spectrum from the know-it-all is the guy who asks the professor to repeat every word he or she says.  You guessed it, I've got one of them in a class, too.  This guy raises his hand every time the prof stops to take a breath.  I understand that the professors in upper division classes seem to lecture twice as fast as they do in the lower division.  It is for that reason that I went to the bookstore and bought one of those mini cassette recorders this week.  Is there a way in which I could subtlety suggest that this boner do that?

I'm going to put up a poll this week asking who you, my very few loyal readers, find the most annoying.  If you think I've left an annoying person out, feel free to share.

On a sports note, my request for a little love for the volleyball team did not go unheard as ESPN posted a nice article on the Lady Panthers at ESPNU.com.  

Here is the link to the article: http://sports.espn.go.com/ncaa/news/story?id=3567688