I'm just so completely embarrassed over last night. I had Chemistry lab, and we had to do something that should normally be simple, lighting a bunsen burner. Well, I've never used a match and I'm petrified of fire. I mean I have like a full fledged phobia. I was willing to manipulate the bunsen burner, but I just wanted someone to initially light the match and light the bunsen burner. Anyways, I called over the teacher's assistant and told him really politely my situation, and asked if he would willing to do that. Well, he just got so pissed off and said that I need to learn these things, I'm in college, and this is one of the most basic things in chemistry laboratories. However, he really said it so mean. It was uncalled for. He was just so upset at me. I felt so little and so embarrassed. I really should have gone to the professor, but I was so embarrassed. So I tried lighting the match and got it lit, but then freaked out, dropped it, and had blow it out right away. I mean I was having a full fledged panic attack and I almost started really crying. I know this may sound so trivial, but it really does scare me. So I went to another teacher's assistant and he was completely nice, and did it for me. I was fine after that. But then it was like every little thing I do the original teacher's assistant came over and yelled at me. I left my drawer open by accident and he got mad. But then, I was taking long when I had to do convertions. I wanted to get it right. I just felt so pressured because he came over and kept telling me to hurry up..he was getting mad. He's like with an attitude we'll be here till next morning. I did finish the lab which is the good thing, but I'm just worried all my labs will be like this. Susanna
Don't be embarrassed -- I've never lit a match (never needed to) and luckily the Bunsen burners we use have strikers instead of matches, which are a lot easier to use and keep your hand further away from the flame. If they didn't, I would be so scared to even go near them (Hell, they still kind of freak me out, even with the striker )
Don't let that TA make you feel bad....remember: "No one can make you feel inferior without your consent." (Eleanor Roosevelt)
We all have our little glitches that make us who we are. Fire phobia would be difficult to get by with in other cultures but in the good old USofA if it doesn't bother you it doesn't bother me. That being said the TA was a jerk, an ass, an ignorant baffoon! Don't let his lack of compassion and teaching skills effect you. Your ok he is not.- I would insist on acton from the department- at least an apology. Whats next- tell the visually impaired students they better learn to feel thier way along!?, Shorter students get hopping! As far as I know there is a great deal more to learn in chem. class than how to light a match and the TA didn't help your ability to get the most out of the lab. GOSH DARN IT he's got me ranting! Sorry about the PG language but school is hard enough without pipsqueek grad students trying to throw thier weight around.
This was your Chemistry professor's fault, not yours.
A bunsen burner should NEVER be lit with a match, it should be lit with that instrument that causes sparks b/c that is all that is needed to light the burner.
The reason is if you have the burner on too long and try to light it with your hand, the dispursed gas can send the flame to your hand...that is the purpose of the "sparkmaker".
You probably wouldn't have been as afraid of it had you been given the proper tools.
Finally someone who can relate!!! I'm so scared of those bunsen burners! I'm also probably one of the most clueless people in our class. I told my self that I dont care if I am the annoying-girl-who -asks-a trillion-questions, so I do! I just want to be safe and get things right. Well I can tell my class thinks I'm crazy, but I am not doing terrible and I think it is because I always ask for help and ask questions. I couldn't get my burner lit and had to have my teacher do it, then i couldn't get it to have a controlled inner flamed and had to ask my professor again to do it. But it always comes to me having difficulties or anything going wrong. I went into lab last week with a new mindset, telling myself to be confident that i am a smart girl and I can do this....but the of course my pipet bulb had a hole in it, and my burner no longer worked. I just need someone to cut me a break! And i feel all your frustrations believe me!!!!!
Remember the comment section at the end of class on the evaluation of the professor, politely and nicely let the professor know what happened and how you were made to feel.
that it was the assistant not the professor, but the professor needs to know, and probably the assistant couldn't light a match either....
do not practice lighting matches at home, omg if you drop one.....
you will be fine, and the other assistant will help from now on
goldenngrrl
31 Posts
Don't be embarrassed -- I've never lit a match (never needed to) and luckily the Bunsen burners we use have strikers instead of matches, which are a lot easier to use and keep your hand further away from the flame. If they didn't, I would be so scared to even go near them (Hell, they still kind of freak me out, even with the striker )
Don't let that TA make you feel bad....remember: "No one can make you feel inferior without your consent." (Eleanor Roosevelt)