Nursing School Vent-Inconsiderate Classmates and Flighty instructor

[Teacher2RN]

I just sat through a 3 hour lecture that really got on my last nerves. For one thing, the instructor started incredibly late, as usual and most of these problems are due to the instructors classroom management, but here we go. It was 3 hours of clicky highlighter pens highlighting every single thing on the power points, only not until the instructor mentioned that it was important. Shouldn't everything on there be important since it's just notes? Then you have the feet scuffling, chronic pen clicking, constant sighing from the incredibly rude and impatient person sitting in the row in front of me. Then there are the people who have to color code everything in the power point and noisily switch pens or highlighters or whatever they're using to defile their powerpoint slides to make them easier to study from. The worst is the constantly getting off track by students and even the instructor, which caused more sighing and toe tapping from the impatient before-mentioned student.

I'll admit to being a little ADD at times, but today was the absolute worst. I managed to entertain myself quietly with the internet on my blackberry and marking pages numbers in my power points so I can go back and study in peace and quiet. I understand that people are doing what helps them learn best, but do they have to be so noisy?

[michigansapphire]

Another vote for sitting in the front row. It's the only way I can handle these distractions.

Also, I take copious notes to keep my focus on the lecture. I've learned that I cannot multitask - no internet during class for me!

[Kringe38]

Uh oh, I might be one of the offending pen-clickers. I used to be a big doodler to distract my nerves while listening in class, but now I don't like to mess up my notes with ugly little drawings all over. However, I don't talk in class, which is something that really irks me. My class does this a lot. They also just talk loud in general and they embarrass me because they make so much noise. Other classes may be taking a test, why can't we cut back the sound a bit? They just get louder and louder the longer they sit or stand somewhere waiting for stuff to start. Ugh.

I wish we had some kind of setup where we could switch around and not be with the same students all the time. A lot of my class is really nice but there are a few that just get on my last nerve. The ones who talk loud, the ones who talk in class, the ones who think they are entitled to special consideration vis-a-vis scheduling because they have small children. Double ugh.

[Adams_Mama_07]

People who annoyingly complain about inconsequential things and blame others for the inability to concentrate in class really aggravate me :)

Unless people are actually conversing, texting, or leaving their phone ringers on then they aren't really a distraction. What's next? Gosh, I really hate breathers...

[thinwildmercury]

i hate when people ask stupid questions. the other day some girl from the back of my class asked what happens if you get sperm in your stomach. um... what? and also people who are absent or not paying attention in class and then waste the next class asking a million questions and clarifying everything that they would know if they had BEEN THERE! that ****** me off i just wish the professor would say "look in your notes" or something like that. as for pen clicking, highlighter switching a foot tapping, i never notice that stuff. hmm maybe i am the one who does those things hahah. i don't think so. usually when i get antsy i will think of a song i like and it my best handwriting try to remember and and write down the whole thing. it's odd i know but i am a very big music fan so this always helps me :)

[~Mi Vida Loca~RN, ASN, RN]

People who annoyingly complain about inconsequential things and blame others for the inability to concentrate in class really aggravate me :)

Unless people are actually conversing, texting, or leaving their phone ringers on then they aren't really a distraction. What's next? Gosh, I really hate breathers...

How is texting distracting you?

[DolceVita, ADN, BSN, RN]

How is texting distracting you?

It annoys me too. As does seeing people surfing the internet on their Blackberry's. Quite mannerless. Although I would have to say that gum smacking probably ranks highest.

[melmarie23, MSN, RN]

sometimes my blackberry is my saving grace.

the keyboard typing doesn't bother me. Its how literally almost every student in my class, including myself, take notes. I used to print out all the power points, but I go sick of wasting paper and ink. Not to mention, at the end of the semester I'd have these folders piled high with printed power point lectures, that now take up space in boxes in my basement. *sigh*

None of the pen clicking, interneting, texting bothers me. Asking questions on stuff we literally just went over does. As does the knee bobbing of one of my classmates...she lives in windpants so they make the most god awful annoying noise.

Oh and people who cant seem to remember to silence their phone ringer and it rings in the middle of class. Professor's included.

[~Mi Vida Loca~RN, ASN, RN]

It annoys me too. As does seeing people surfing the internet on their Blackberry's. Quite mannerless. Although I would have to say that gum smacking probably ranks highest.

Don't get me wrong, I am not saying it's not distracting or annoying, but the previous poster was pretty much expressing her annoyance in those of us that can't stand the pen clicking and tapping and whatever else that she didn't deam worthy of annoyance yet she had a list of those she did find annoying or distracting. I don't see how texting is anymore or any less annoying or distracting then someone behind you or next to you constantly clicking or tapping their pen or snapping their gum etc etc. all of it is distracting when you are trying to focus on learning. In fact I rather someone behind me quietly surfing the net or texting rather then doing something that is constantly making noise.

[missy--kay]

Texting during lecture doesn't annoy me because of the noise, it's just simply RUDE!!

[melmarie23, MSN, RN]

rude to who-you? how so?

if the professors had a problem with it, then they'd implement a classroom policy requesting that all phones be put away. One of my professors does just that-phones AND computers, so we do.

Its not a problem in that class

[~Mi Vida Loca~RN, ASN, RN]

I frankly don't care who does what during lecture as long as they do it quietly, I am not paying anyone's tuition but mine. When you start being loud and distracting to MY learning that is when I care.

Oh and seriously what is so hard about putting your phone on silent? Seriously, I have seen people stop the ring and then it rings again minutes later, when you stop it TURN IT ON SILENT and not vibrate because that is just as distracting and usually it makes a sound when it's done vibrating.

I was at my sons wrestling meeting and coach was talking and this womans phone kept going off, she wouldn't even silence it, finally after the third time one of the parents were like, CAN YOU TURN OFF THE PHONE. Because we couldn't hear over the coach, the lady turned around and gave him the dirtiest look and said IT'S MY PHONE I PAY THE BILL.

What the heck has happened to common courtesy these days.

[thinwildmercury]

the constant vibrating and clicking could definitely be annoying. i personally don't mind-it doesn't make it more difficult for me to concentrate. however i just wanted to add something else to this list. i don't know if this happens to you but: people eating smelly food! this girl was sitting next to me in bio the other day with a sandwich that smelt SO foul to me! the girl behind us thought it smelt good and even asked what it was and where she got it. thankfully, she finished soon after lecture began but it was nauseating... maybe it's good practice to start getting used to bad smells though...