College Professors’ Pet Peeves

In order to make it through college, you have to do more than just get good grades. You must also avoid making your professors upset. Here is a list of things they do not like.

Being late to class
Tardiness interrupts professors and the rest of the class. My professors did not tolerate students walking into the classroom late.

Walking out of class before it is over
After I walked out of a French class a few times, my professor told me that I was disturbing those around me as I put my materials inside my book bag before leaving. She also told me that I was disrupting her rhythm, as she liked to call on each student to answer a question as the class period went on. She warned me that she would deduct points from my final course grade if I continued to walk out early.

Turning in papers late or by hand
Doing your term paper assignments by hand shows a lack of professionalism. You must also refrain from turning them in after the deadline passes. My professors did not accept term papers that were written by hand or turned in late.

Sleeping in class
To some professors, this offense is equal to that of interrupting the class by making too much noise. When the professor for my Spanish class caught me sleeping in his class one time, he became upset. After class, he warned me that if it happened again, he would kick me out of the class. I prevented myself from suddenly falling asleep in class again by getting plenty of sleep at night, taking a quick nap before my first class and getting a little bit of sleep in between my classes.

Eating in class
This can cause noise and a mess. You should eat when you are not in the classroom.

Skipping class on days you are scheduled to work in a group
Not showing up to class on the days you must work on a class project is disrespectful to your team and can result in your grade being lowered. The professor for my small group communication class told us that he would penalize us for skipping class on project days because it was rude to our teammates.

Talking in class
Do not talk too much during the lectures. When the professor for my theater class caught students carrying on conversations, she warned the class, “If you wish to talk so much, I strongly recommend that you do not come to class.”