Apparently i'm a jerk

[michigo]

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sorry this is long, but i felt like venting (the main question is at the bottom).

Its really funny how one of my friends keeps whining about medical school and her desire to be a doctor. She keeps talking about how its her life-long dream and its important. its even more funny how its so important but she won't put in the work or anything like that. I would say its more of her parent's dream for her to go ot med school, and she doesn't care.

she keeps blaming the system and why professors are out to get her and how its not her fault she prepared for the wrong material or had exams on the same day or the exams were too hard. I'm like, we took the same classes (mostly- as in the bio/chem/physics courses) and i did better. the excuses of "no time", 'too busy", and 'it was hard' are my favorites. I"ve helped her out before, but i don't have time to babysit and walk her thru everything when i have other things of my own to deal with. and yes, she doesn't have any obligations other than to go partying (and yes, i've gone with her and its not that fun with her). Anyway, the best part is that its not her fault she's doing not as well as she wants to.

so the other week, she talks to a professor that i'm TAing for and whining to him about medical school (we both took the class already). the prof tells her to pursue other things and she gets mad and then leaves. I actually know the prof and he told me about it (he told me about a student he talked to and i saw her walk out the same day). later on the day, she tells me about it and i'm like 'maybe you should look into different paths just in case" and i get the response "you don't know me, don't tell me what to do'. and apparently i'm a jerk for telling her that.

If you're like, why is he friends with her? well, she's one of my best friend's friend, so i try not to be a jerk all the time.

so the real question is: What's the funniest excuse you ever heard of for someone doing bad in school?

 

[TexasTriathlete]

Cut her head off and throw it in the river.

 

[EEL08]

Cut her head off and throw it in the river.

😆 Remind me never to cross you TT.

 

[Bond8204]

nice compassion there, OP. Other's people emotional pain that's...that's real funny.

 

[Darktide]

This is why I hate pre-meds--- and one of the largest reasons that I chose the D0 route--- Unfounded Ego's and snobbery be damned, I won't suffer fools.

Always complaining about unfair testing=> Life's unfair- deal with it

I assume by your name that you're from Michigan--- Umich by chance?--- This school is full of undeserving, egotistical F***-o's that don't know what it's like to work for a living- Glad I'll be done and leaving in... 1.5 weeks =P


Tschuess

 

[sherruns]

so the real question is: What's the funniest excuse you ever heard of for someone doing bad in school?

i can't do my homework because:
i think i'm becoming dyslexic
i have the hives
i get migraines when i read (really heard these, guys)
the material is irrelevant
i am so above this
the curriculum is stupid and i'm not here to stoop
the professor is hitting on me and i won't put out
it rained and i didn't feel like taking the test (i heard this one from my friend nicole)
hmmm...what other stupid excuses have i heard?
oh,
it's that time of the month and i get pms so bad i feel like killing someone
(refer to TT's post -- manopause????)
i didn't eat today and have the shakes (manorexia?)
my dog threw up this morning


i could probably go on and on. there is no stopping the small, threatened mind.

 

[MossPoh]

Premeds are whiny. That is part of the game. I promised myself I wouldn't do it and I still catch myself sometimes.

 

[sherruns]

Premeds are whiny. That is part of the game. I promised myself I wouldn't do it and I still catch myself sometimes.

i have heard some doozie excuses in my past.
i remember one girl saying that her dad was electrocuted and so she couldn't focus. come to find out, he had been electrocuted 14 years before. she just pulled the card when necessary.

 

[Bond8204]

This is the reverse, but we once had a biochem professor senior year who was so convinced that it couldn't be her fault that we did badly on the semester's first test that she made us:

1) Not sit in the last 4 rows of the hall...this meant everybody sat next to somebody. So people who came late had to climb over people. Which of course, was much more distracting than being able to perfectly hear her from the back corner of the lecture hall.

2) Bring cough drops. She had noticed many people were coughing, which is surely distracting, and is probably why we did badly on the test. It was hilarious how 150 people started coughing the last 5 minutes of her class.

 

[MossPoh]

i have heard some doozie excuses in my past.
i remember one girl saying that her dad was electrocuted and so she couldn't focus. come to find out, he had been electrocuted 14 years before. she just pulled the card when necessary.

Yea. Meanwhile, I felt whiny after mentioning how I saw our neighbor/friend commit suicide last semester, or how my mind was kind of checked out after my friend died a few weeks ago. Premeds, and really college students in general are some of the quickest to come up with excuses. Nothing is ever their fault. The topic was not mentioned in class, they didn't get a proper review, their cousin's dog died, they ran out of pencil lead, blah blah blah. I make a point of telling myself "I should've studied more. That was fair and I just messed up by not preparing" regardless of how fair it is. I prefer to feel like the control is in my hands. I don't like shunting blame off on others though.

 

[michigo]

to Bonds8204- i wasn't trying to make this offensive or be a jerk (or that much of a jerk). i just had to tell the story why i thought of this. i know there are legit stories about why people did bad, but i just got sick of hearing the stupidiest reasons and not taking some responsibility for why they did bad or whatever.

oh yeah, i'm not from michigan, i'm korean. so its my parts of my first and last name combined.

i'll admit i have a funny story i can blame others for. i was taking my physics final and this guy near me kept wheezing, making these lip smacking noises , and coughing (i got 2 hours worth of this nonsense). even if he wasn't there, i'll admit that i would have done exactly the same, but i still wanted to kick him in the face and to yell at him to stop it (at least the lip smacking- since that is completely controllable). The next class in the physics series, he was going to sit near me again, but i picked up my stuff and walked away. 😀

 

[sherruns]

Yea. Meanwhile, I felt whiny after mentioning how I saw our neighbor/friend commit suicide last semester, or how my mind was kind of checked out after my friend died a few weeks ago. Premeds, and really college students in general are some of the quickest to come up with excuses. Nothing is ever their fault. The topic was not mentioned in class, they didn't get a proper review, their cousin's dog died, they ran out of pencil lead, blah blah blah. I make a point of telling myself "I should've studied more. That was fair and I just messed up by not preparing" regardless of how fair it is. I prefer to feel like the control is in my hands. I don't like shunting blame off on others though.

those seem like justified whines, not excuses, mosspoh
god those seem like real tragedies! i'm so sorry for you!

 

[MossPoh]

those seem like justified whines, not excuses, mosspoh
god those seem like real tragedies! i'm so sorry for you!

eh. No use in dwelling in it too long. If you heard the rest of my year you might understand why I just want an acceptance to kind of negate it. 😉

 

[doinmybest5840]

Excuses I've heard:
The prof hates me.
The prof is an a$$hole who doesn't care about his students.
They didn't say what was going to be on the test.
There wasn't enough time to finish the test (this is always a good one, since the vast majority always finishes with at least a few minutes to spare).
I was sick the night before.
I was sick the night of the exam.

Things that I've complained about (but wouldn't say I used as an excuse for doing poorly) include people around me being distracting and really ambiguous questions.

I can deal with the occasional pre-med complaint, but when it's constant I usually try to distance myself. Same goes for people who insist one major or pre-something field is harder than another. I'm not out to win a "My life is harder/worse/more unfair/etc. than yours!" contest.

 

[sherruns]

eh. No use in dwelling in it too long. If you heard the rest of my year you might understand why I just want an acceptance to kind of negate it. 😉

i thought you already had an acceptance!

 

[slim78]

The thing that always bugged me was when people would go whine to the professor and end up getting points added on to their exam or class total.

I don't care if you didn't read the question correctly or if you thought it was worded ambiguously or whatever. We all took the same damn test. If you do that then that means we all need to go whine as well just to make it fair. I never had that kind of time when I was trying to pay my way through school and take care of my family.

I can honestly say that in my entire undergrad I never once met with a professor to see if I could weasel a few extra points out of him/her. Yet this always seemed to be the norm amongst students in my premed classes.

Bugged the crap out of me.

 

[sherruns]

The thing that always bugged me was when people would go whine to the professor and end up getting points added on to their exam or class total.

I don't care if you didn't read the question correctly or if you thought it was worded ambiguously or whatever. We all took the same damn test. If you do that then that means we all need to go whine as well just to make it fair. I never had that kind of time when I was trying to pay my way through school and take care of my family.

I can honestly say that in my entire undergrad I never once met with a professor to see if I could weasel a few extra points out of him/her. Yet this always seemed to be the norm amongst students in my premed classes.

Bugged the crap out of me.

i always called those people "dam brown nosers" but they always had just a few more points than everyone else. you are right. i am reviled by that sort of scammer. badger the prof to death for a B+ when you are really probably more like a C-, you're just wearing their *ss out! seen it, wouldn't wanna be it.

 

[IDBasco]

I was sick the night of the exam.

Don't be so quick to dismiss this one. I took a lab practical with appendicitis. Less than 12 hours later, I was being wheeled to the OR. 🙂

 

[DallasMedic]

Premeds are whiny. That is part of the game. I promised myself I wouldn't do it and I still catch myself sometimes.

I don't even tell people I am a pre-med... you'd get bad looks at my school.

 

[EEL08]

I understand where you guys are coming from, but isn't it nice to say those things, at least once in a while? I'm so glad that I have my husband to complain to about professors, tests, etc. Blaming it on others or on myself just because I feel like venting. He never tells me to stop whining because it's actually my own fault. Sometimes it's just nice to have that person you feel comfortable enough with to express what you feel in anger and frustration.

 

[167649]

Cut her head off and throw it in the river.

Then put her limbs in baskets and send them to the 4 corners of the earth. Let the vultures take the body.

 

[poly800rock]

there is little in this world worse than kids who are premeds and have wanted to become doctors their entire lives complaining about how the professor tested the wrong material or how this person or that person shouldn't have done so well. God, I'm so happy I don't have to deal with that **** anymore. I can't wait until I never have to use this resource like SDN anymore.

 

[Punchap]

I've heard a lot of excuses for not testing, going to class, etc. But my favorite is the excuse a girl I knew gave for cheating on an o.chem exam (1/3 of the class cheated on this particular exam).

"Everyone was cheating. You don't understand the pressure."

You know, you're right....I don't understand the pressure. I'm only pre-med too, took the same test sans cheating and have taken the same coursework since day one. I hate how many cheating types get into med school.

Being a pre-med is SUPPOSED to be hard. Being in medical school is supposed to be harder. If you can't take it, then get out. Sorry for the rant. I like most pre-meds, just not the ones that need spoon-fed.

 

[Omashu]

The thing that always bugged me was when people would go whine to the professor and end up getting points added on to their exam or class total.

I don't care if you didn't read the question correctly or if you thought it was worded ambiguously or whatever. We all took the same damn test. If you do that then that means we all need to go whine as well just to make it fair. I never had that kind of time when I was trying to pay my way through school and take care of my family.

I can honestly say that in my entire undergrad I never once met with a professor to see if I could weasel a few extra points out of him/her. Yet this always seemed to be the norm amongst students in my premed classes.

Bugged the crap out of me.

Half of my Physics class is currently doing that right now. I can't compete with that. It's wrong. But these idiots are getting higher grades because of it - it's cheating, err.

I don't want to pull these tactics. But as someone who's competing with this, I'll never win. Why should these whiney @$$H0!e$ get away with a higher grade, and I study legit.

I haven't done it - but I'm seeing people openly brag about their cheating, that they received a whole mark higher than me, and I study legitly. It ruins the curve, and I don't do as well. 😡

That makes me really, really, REALY angry


THEY GET A WHOLE GRADE HIGHER IN AN IMPORTANT PREREQ!!!!

So, So...sosososososososo ....WWWWRROONNGGGG

 

[doinmybest5840]

The thing that always bugged me was when people would go whine to the professor and end up getting points added on to their exam or class total.

I don't care if you didn't read the question correctly or if you thought it was worded ambiguously or whatever. We all took the same damn test. If you do that then that means we all need to go whine as well just to make it fair. I never had that kind of time when I was trying to pay my way through school and take care of my family.

I can honestly say that in my entire undergrad I never once met with a professor to see if I could weasel a few extra points out of him/her. Yet this always seemed to be the norm amongst students in my premed classes.

Bugged the crap out of me.

Yeah my brother does that, it pisses me off. He'll get marked down for wording something unclearly and then go fight with the professor about the fact that they didn't specify how clear to be or something. I can't stand it. I personally have only discussed tests with professors when I wasn't sure what I did wrong/how to do a problem correctly/etc.

 

[PunkmedGirl]

I've heard a lot of excuses for not testing, going to class, etc. But my favorite is the excuse a girl I knew gave for cheating on an o.chem exam (1/3 of the class cheated on this particular exam).

"Everyone was cheating. You don't understand the pressure."

You know, you're right....I don't understand the pressure. I'm only pre-med too, took the same test sans cheating and have taken the same coursework since day one. I hate how many cheating types get into med school.

Being a pre-med is SUPPOSED to be hard. Being in medical school is supposed to be harder. If you can't take it, then get out. Sorry for the rant. I like most pre-meds, just not the ones that need spoon-fed.

I completely agree with you. There are several of these types in my ORGO I class who all got A's. The first exam that all huddled in the back row (they all normally sit in the front row) and cheated ( you could actually here them giving out answers). But you know what I dont even give a hoot because I did my best and the grade I got was good enough. Plus their all talking about applying to Harvard, Yale, and yadda yadda. If you have to cheat your way through class just to get a good grade, I dont think you will be successful at any medical school.

 

[Powdermonkey]

I completely agree with you. There are several of these types in my ORGO I class who all got A's. The first exam that all huddled in the back row (they all normally sit in the front row) and cheated ( you could actually here them giving out answers). But you know what I dont even give a hoot because I did my best and the grade I got was good enough. Plus their all talking about applying to Harvard, Yale, and yadda yadda. If you have to cheat your way through class just to get a good grade, I dont think you will be successful at any medical school.

Yeah, or if they do get in, they'll be the ones who drop out the first semester or get kicked out for sucking at life. And failing tests.

 

[PunkmedGirl]

Yeah, or if they do get in, they'll be the ones who drop out the first semester or get kicked out for sucking at life. And failing tests.

Yea I know. I am glad that they are applying this year. I just want to know if my hunch is right.

 

[mandinca]

I understand where you guys are coming from, but isn't it nice to say those things, at least once in a while? I'm so glad that I have my husband to complain to about professors, tests, etc. Blaming it on others or on myself just because I feel like venting. He never tells me to stop whining because it's actually my own fault. Sometimes it's just nice to have that person you feel comfortable enough with to express what you feel in anger and frustration.

I agree with you, EEL. Venting to my husband, and his venting to me, is how we stay sane. Sure there are over-complainers, or those that complain about everything to everyone, but I think that being able to free yourself of those little (or big) irritations is quite cathartic! 🙂

 

[UNCLori07]

I have heard all kinds of excuses and I have quickly realized that it doesn't stop with med school either. There are plenty of whiners in my class right now - 2 years into med school. I'm sure they were the same people that whined in undergrad as well.

Thankfully, you will realize how much more effective you are if you are not one of those people that blame all their disappointments on others. Med school can be full of things that are "unfair" or you weren't "prepared for" or you "didn't know about", etc. Once you get used to the crap, you will be able to keep studying when others are sitting back moaning about the unfairness and whatever else to their peers/faculty. this is especially helpful during your second year when you have to study for classes and boards. The less you worry about stupid stuff, the more you have time to study.

True story: I actually had a primary care skills midterm exam that was on the WRONG CHAPTERS. We all took the exam, lots of people complained about it (validly I believed) but nothing was done about it. They validated it by telling us it was material that we had had before (albeit not in that class and not in the depth that he wanted us to know it) and that the knowledge should be there. Somehow we managed to pass. Another time we actually had a pop "test". After a year of that professor, no one can throw me for a loop anymore! We have a new PCS professor now, but somehow, I think I learned a lot more from the other guy because I never knew what to expect. It's funny how I kind of miss him and all the craziness that went along with his class. Plus I just had 3 straight months of having an exam (or two or three) every week.....I figure it only prepares me more for the road ahead. No one said medicine was easy.

I absolutely love med school. 👍

 

[rockdascrubs786]

I don't make excuses.....b/c I am so friggen awesome and ruin all the curves. GUNNER=ME.....RAAAAAAAR

 

[justletmeinplz]

The biggest excuse that bothers me is "I have ADD." You have ADD so you can't study, but you can play World of Warcraft for 8 hours straight, no problem. Sure. My friend uses that excuse all the time and it irritates me to no end. He even told me that if he were to take the MCAT, he'd get extra time! Are you effing kidding me!?!? So suppose you take the MCAT, get extra time, and do well. Do you then get extra time for tests in med school? The USMLE? I honestly don't know. I do know, however, that if you want to be a trauma surgeon, God is unlikely to give you extra time on the operating table. "ADD"...what a joke.

 

[TexasTriathlete]

I have ADD. I would say that being treated for it was the biggest difference between my 2.2 GPA in kinesiology, and my 3.5 GPA in my post-bac. Having a goal and motivation helped, but I study so much better with the meds. My mind wanders without them. It is hard to explain, but the difference is huge.

As for extra time on the MCAT, it is almost impossible. I showed their policy for applying for extra time to my psychiatrist, and he told me that it would be so difficult and time-consuming and expensive that I shouldn't even bother. They pretty much have it set up that way on purpose so that nobody will try to apply for it.

 

[spazzz]

I have ADD. I would say that being treated for it was the biggest difference between my 2.2 GPA in kinesiology, and my 3.5 GPA in my post-bac. Having a goal and motivation helped, but I study so much better with the meds. My mind wanders without them. It is hard to explain, but the difference is huge.

As for extra time on the MCAT, it is almost impossible. I showed their policy for applying for extra time to my psychiatrist, and he told me that it would be so difficult and time-consuming and expensive that I shouldn't even bother. They pretty much have it set up that way on purpose so that nobody will try to apply for it.

you're not unique, everyone (ADD or not) studies better on adderall

 

[TexasTriathlete]

you're not unique, everyone (ADD or not) studies better on adderall

Yes, but I am almost useless without it.

 

[justletmeinplz]

Yes, but I am almost useless without it.

My mind wanders when I read too. Sometimes I'll be reading and realize I glazed over for an entire page and have to go back and read it again. Does that mean I have ADD? No. Based on my experiences with friends that claim to have ADD, some even clinically diagnosed ADD, I'm calling BS on the entire condition. Sorry if that offen.....oooh look, butterflies.....

 

[TexasTriathlete]

Well I hope you don't mind being wrong. You just don't know what you're talking about. It isn't just reading. Its everything. Just not enough dopamine in the synapses.

Do you really think that low dopamine levels is really "BS"? Or that having such a condition wouldn't affect someone?

There are certainly people who are medicated for ADD that don't actually have it, but there are also people who really do have it. What you are suggesting is idiocy.

 

[spazzz]

looks like someone's feelings got hurt...

 

[TexasTriathlete]

Spare me.

I'm still right.

Enjoy.

 

[justletmeinplz]

Well I hope you don't mind being wrong. You just don't know what you're talking about. It isn't just reading. Its everything. Just not enough dopamine in the synapses.

Do you really think that low dopamine levels is really "BS"? Or that having such a condition wouldn't affect someone?

There are certainly people who are medicated for ADD that don't actually have it, but there are also people who really do have it. What you are suggesting is idiocy.

Oh c'mon man, I was just doing a little good-natured trolling. 😀

Here's how I really feel about the issue; Of course ADD exists, but it is far too often used as an excuse by people for poor test results and things of that nature. I see it a lot like fat people that claim they dysfunctional thyroid. Sure, that's a contributing factor for obesity, but only for a minority of people. As for ADD, sure it's real, but it's not prevalent at nearly the rate that the makers of Ritalin/Concerta/etc. would have you believe.

P.S. Tom Cruise told me ADD doesn't exist.

 

[spazzz]

adderral is steroids for the brain.

 

[TexasTriathlete]

Its a catecholamine derivative. It is not a steroid.

 

[MossPoh]

i thought you already had an acceptance!

I wish. I take the mcat next week. Scoring high 30s...hopefully it'll transfer over to the real thing.

 

[MossPoh]

i always called those people "dam brown nosers" but they always had just a few more points than everyone else. you are right. i am reviled by that sort of scammer. badger the prof to death for a B+ when you are really probably more like a C-, you're just wearing their *ss out! seen it, wouldn't wanna be it.

I find those people hilarious any more. All that time they spend fighting for a single point or two they could've studied more and gotten the question right. I do count all of my points on tests now. I had an organic chem exam last semester that they didn't had 30 points on. I am missing a 4.0 at my current school by a grand total of 8 points spread across 3 classes right now.

I find myself ashamed to be associated with some of these people. It seems rare to meet premeds who really have their heart in the right spot and who come off as honest, hardworking people. This was my biggest reason I was hesitant to pursue medicine..While I can be a douchebag, hopefully I won't end up complete tool like some of these people!

P.S. Tex, I'm with you. There are people who really do NEED the meds. I'm borderline according to the psychiatrist at least, but since I'm borderline I decided not to. My cousin is real bad. He had a 2.0 despite working his arse off, got a prescription and got a 3.9 after that. That being said, the amount of people, particularly premeds who abuse the drugs is astounding and disheartening. I get really frustrated when perfectly normal people use the drugs to give them the edge. It makes me feel that much better when I do better than them.

 

[TexasTriathlete]

Almost every drug is prescribed too much. I'm not going to argue that pain isn't a real condition because people abuse painkillers.

 

[MossPoh]

Almost every drug is prescribed too much. I'm not going to argue that pain isn't a real condition because people abuse painkillers.

That's because they feel gooooooooood.

Well, not for me. I freak out on painkillers, but I hear they do.

Pain isn't a real condition. All a state of mind. Everyone else is just weak.

 

[TexasTriathlete]

I'll go as far as "pain don't hurt", because Patrick Swayze said it, but it still exists.

 

[MossPoh]

I'll accept that. I'd trust the swayz, puffing away while hooked up to chemo. Straight up thug.

I'll admit the ripping feeling in my shoulder did hurt during a kick serve the other day. Rubbed some dirt on it and I was good...and cussed a lot.

 

[justletmeinplz]

P.S. Tex, I'm with you. There are people who really do NEED the meds. I'm borderline according to the psychiatrist at least, but since I'm borderline I decided not to. My cousin is real bad. He had a 2.0 despite working his arse off, got a prescription and got a 3.9 after that. That being said, the amount of people, particularly premeds who abuse the drugs is astounding and disheartening. I get really frustrated when perfectly normal people use the drugs to give them the edge. It makes me feel that much better when I do better than them.

Previously mentioned friend with ADD would always get a lot of calls around exam time from people looking for meds. It was usually friends of ours that "are sure they have ADD," but of course they didn't have it diagnosed so they didn't have access to the drugs. I will admit to trying Concerta to help me study for an Orgo exam once; I don't think it helped. I knew a few people that swore by Adderall, but I never tried it.

 

[MossPoh]

Previously mentioned friend with ADD would always get a lot of calls around exam time from people looking for meds. It was usually friends of ours that "are sure they have ADD," but of course they didn't have it diagnosed so they didn't have access to the drugs. I will admit to trying Concerta to help me study for an Orgo exam once; I don't think it helped. I knew a few people that swore by Adderall, but I never tried it.

Yea, that is really common place. I feel kind of bad for those people because it is tough to resist the call of the spare cash sometimes. It doesn't feel that wrong. I've been curious about trying it and could get it in 2 minutes, but it just feels so wrong for me.