Professor Emails Students: “I see you, I hear you, your paper is still due by 11:59pm Friday”

by Natalie Peek

To reach more students, a professor has asked the Rival American to share this pertinent and vitally important email.

Good afternoon students,

In these “unprecedented” times, our frame of reference has changed so drastically. I know that some of you may be balancing home life, work life, and my class. All of these things happening in our world are turning our idea of life upside down! 

I want you to know that I see you, I hear you, and I know that I too am experiencing similar emotions that you are. I, in my decades in niche theory academia, could have never expected my life to be totally online. Nor could my research have given me the idea that all of these things could happen all at once!

I also wanted to remind you that even though the first presidential debate was this week, absentee ballots may be arriving for you, and you may fear for your life when you go to the grocery store, your 15 page paper is still due at the same time that the syllabus originally stated.

I’ve received countless emails from students concerned that they simply could not do such a thing in these wacky times (I am paraphrasing), or that they don’t know how useful this paper is to them or me at such a time. 

Just as I could never prepare for these unprecedented times, you never know, the in-depth research that this paper requires of you in this short period of time may possibly be useful in the next year! In ten years, I can guarantee you that you’ll certainly look back and think “wow I’m so glad I stretched myself thin to do this paper that required all of this energy!”

I will grade this paper just as harshly as I would in normal times because I know you have all of the same tools that you would if we were in person. I expect nothing less than a 400 level paper from each and every individual in this 200 level class.

Best, 

Your least favorite professor for a required course that you couldn’t drop because you didn’t know their true colors until this very email.