Good or bad role model?
Posted by Ethan Barron on Thursday, May 20th, 2010
As a student, am I a good role model or a bad role model for the team? I’m now 4 classes deep into my new program, well 3.5 classes deep which is what prompts this question. I’ve yet to finish a class on time yet in the last two years. I’ve taken an incomplete in every one and then handed in my final paper late. On some level, I’m incredibly embarrassed by this, but on another, it makes me proud. Proud of the student I’ve become and proud to be a part of this program at Tufts.
Finals week isn’t just a time of final papers and exams. For me as a 30-year-old coach, finals week represents a whole litany of other stuff. In the winter, I’m finalizing our recruiting class, trying to buy xmas presents for the loved ones, and getting the team prepped for the new year. In the spring, finals week coincides with the NESCAC, DIII New England, and Open New England Championships. You can see how my class work may take a backseat to some of my other responsibilities.
Here’s my issue. I could definitely hand something in on time and finish the class, but it wouldn’t be something I was proud of. I’d rather take the incomplete and write something that was meaningful to me and didn’t waste my professors’ time. At my age, pumping out something that you’re not proud of just seems like a waste of time and that’s not something I’m interested in.
More importantly, I’m thankful that my professors are willing to be patient with my busy schedule and allow me to get them something of value. I can’t express enough how amazing this is. I love working at and being a part of a school that can see the goal of knowledge, learning, and wisdom through all the BS of grades and exams.
My class this past semester was 3 people. Well, 4 if you count the professor. We talked. It was great. There wasn’t a syllabus. No set structure or game plan going into the semester. Yet somehow I got so much out of the class just from our 3 hours of conversation each week. It helps to have a professor who knows so much about the field that he can go along with any topic, at any time, at a moment’s notice.
Long story short, I think that my focus on learning and quality is the #1 foundation for academia. Don’t do it for the grades. Other than the C that I got in English class in 11th grade, I couldn’t tell you exactly what my grades were. But I could definitely tell you all about the conversations we had in class this semester. Even still…you should probably try to get your papers in on time. You’ll get some leeway when you get to be my age.
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