Dude That's Rude: The Worst Things Professors Can Do For Zoom University

We didn’t choose Zoom University, Zoom University chose us. As we adapt to another semester of learning during these “unprecedented times,” we need to have as smooth of a Zoom experience as possible. Unfortunately, our biggest roadblocks can sometimes be four very own professors who tend to do things that make us just want to shut our laptops and crawl back into bed.

Disabling the Chat

Sometimes you just want to rant to your best friend about how much you hate Zoom or perhaps you want to spice the lecture up with some fun banter and cheesy jokes. However, much to your disappointment, your professor has disabled the chat, withholding it from you like a forbidden fruit. Now you are forced to *actually* pay attention to the lecture (it turns out that that is what we’re actually supposed to do, who knew?).

Assigning 100+ Pages of Reading

For some reason, some professors assume that because we are studying online, we have more time to spare so they generously overload us with enough reading that would put War and Peace to shame. Between Zoom fatigue and trying to cope with living in a whole global pandemic, we just do not have time to be suffering through 50 book chapters and 20 articles every week.

Going Overtime

In this world of Zoom fatigue, those 15 minutes of respite in between classes are needed to step away from the screen you have been staring at for the past what-felt-like-20 years. When professors go overtime, we are robbed of the time we need to rejuvenate and resurrect ourselves before our next class. As an international student living 6 hours ahead of Boston, when I have back-to-back classes at night, those 15 minutes constitute my dinner time. Fifteen minutes barely gives me enough time to scoff down my dad’s homemade lasagna, so if professors could just not make it any harder by going overtime, that would be great.

Breakout Rooms

I don’t know about you, but breakout rooms are the bane of my very existence. Nothing on God’s green earth is more awkward than the moment after you and your classmates have arrived in your breakout room and you proceed to spend the next five minutes staring intently into each other’s eyes waiting for someone to initiate the conversation. Nothing makes my heart leap more than seeing the countdown window appear like my long-awaited saviour.

Scheduling Class on Wellness Days

Need I say more?

Zoom University certainly has its ups and downs, and sometimes our professors make those downs even lower. But in the end, we’re all figuring out this new virtual world together, and our professors would probably appreciate any feedback you can give them — after all, they’re people too! At the very least, always remember that the “leave meeting” button can be your best friend.