She's Out To Get Me.

My medieval masculinity class is the shit. For real.

I didn't think learning about knights would be so interesting but we are investigatinf all of their flaws. Apparently being a dude is harder than i thought, especially if your a dude whose suppose to protect a)the king and b) the land.

And when you add in religion, women, and love...being a dude sucks . I don't see how some of you do it.

I admit my introduction to knights and celestial maidens wasn't until i was in middle school but i eventually grew to like them. I mean i read fairy tales and stuff like that, but not the hardcore medieval writings like i have to read for this class. Chaucer, Kemp, yadda yadda. I have to take two pre 1800 literature classes to graduate and two shakespeare classes wasn't going to do it. RateMyProfessor.com, said the teacher of medieval masculinty was awesome, and i admittedly signed up for it after that reassurance.

They were right she is awesome. She's like one of those pretty girls you see at Starbucks, reading a book, sipping their latte, and dressed in a quirky way. She's tall, has a wavy blonde hair, and wears chuck taylors with almost everything. And she has glasses!!! GLASSES!!!! The cool Lisa Loeb sort of thing.

She's been to Europe a bunch of times, probably has a really hott geeky husband, and did i mention she dresses really cool.

One day she came into class, dressed in an army jacket, a frilly skirt, and chuck taylors. I almost died because it was the cutest outfit i've ever seen a professor wear (well minus some fashionable grad students). For the most part she is nice, she has her favorites of course but she teaches the material in a way that we are all pretty much interested.

Unfortunately she loves her class to be discussion orienated. English and Bio are very different. English classes are smaller, more intimate, and strictly discussion based. I mean there is no way that you could have a class where no one said anything because literature is suppose to be discussed. It's like the law or something. However what usually happens is that you have a handful of students who actually do the talking while the rest of us just sit, listen and take notes.
My realism teacher use to call on us whenever there was an awkward silence, which didn't bother me so much because i loved her class. I felt confidant about the material, and i was noted as one of her favorites from the beginning. I guess because she established the "if you don't talk i will call on you" rule from the beginning, i didn't mind saying stuff in her class. Everyone was really cool, the atmosphere was friendly, and did i mention that she was the coolest teacher ever.
My medieval masculinity teacher also tried to implement the "everyone must talk rule" on the first day, but she didn't really enforce it. The same 7 people guide the conversation, while i look on intently from my seat. I like ingesting things, I like listening to people discuss the material, and then come up with my own ideas come from that. I don't particulary agree with everything being said, but i like listening. It's what i do.

But she's not having any of that. After spring break, there was the two week period were participiation went down. We are tired, exhuastated, and amazingly in need for another break. Allegry season is coming in hard, going to all classes is difficult, and everyone seems to be taking my approach to silence.

One day Converse Teacher was so frustrated with everyone's lack of participation (even her chosen few) that she let class about about 30 minutes early. Now this week she has suddenly decided that participation is mandatory for EVERYONE.

"Tomorrow, everyone has to say at least one thing. I'm warning you in advance". I admit it haven't said anything in this ladies class, but i do show up everyday. I turn out these papers that are marginally good, and i have my intent face on when i'm in her class (hand usually under the chin), I'm doing wicked awesome on her quizzes and i participate in group work.

Apparently that's not enough. We only hvae four weeks of school left and she is on a quiet people mission. Yesterday was the "everyone must talk day" and i was not particulary feeling it. I sort of had this idea of : "What is she going do if i don't speak, stone me".

She must have put fear into everyone else though, because people i have never seen yet alone heard before in my whole entire life, were actually speaking. Their comments bordered on "i have to say something just to get this lady off my back" but generally it was a productive class. It went by really fast, and she was pleased...with almost everyone.

Me and one other girl did not say anything. The whole time this speaking frenzy went on, we kept shooting each other looks like "are you going to say anything" "no of course i'm not going to say anything" "well if you don't say anything i won't have to say anything" "fine agreed we both won't say anything"

I don't even know this girl, but we had quiet girl lingo going on for a while. When my clock read 1:45 my instant thought was "glad that's over. No more of this crazy everyone has to say somethign bullcrap". But no she wasn't finished yet.

As we began packing up Converse Teacher said "I would like to thank everyone for their participation, those of you who spoke anyway. We have two people who didn't say anything though, so next week i expect everyone to say something".

Class dismissed.

I don't think Converse lady is playing. I may actually be stoned if i don't say anything.

Jeepers.