2008 Woodie Awards
This is about 'that girl'
Ginny Slaughter
Issue date: 9/21/06 Section: Features
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That Girl. You know the one I'm talking about. The one who seems to have some sort of deformation: her arm never hangs by her side naturally, but rather spends all of its time fully extended, keeping her hand perpetually in the air. The one who must already have her PhD, since she purports to know all the answers, and feels the need to correct you when she doesn't agree with you in a haughty tone of superiority. The one who, when the professor tells her she is wrong (however nicely), staunchly defends her position to the bitter end. (I fully expect to one day see "that girl" ask the professor to take it outside.)
I can't stand That Girl. I mean, I really can't stand her.
If you are afraid you might be That Girl, watch for the symptoms:
1. If your classmates roll their eyes whenever you start waving your hand in the air as if you are having a seizure, you are That Girl.
2. If you find yourself correcting your classmates' contributions on a consistent basis rather than allowing the professor to do it, you are That Girl.
3. If you walk into class late to a chorus of disappointed sighs, your classmates were hoping you were absent - and you are That Girl.
4. If, instead of simply presenting an alternate viewpoint to your professor, you find yourself in an out-and-out argument with her, you are That Girl.
5. If a support group has formed for students who have had the misfortune to take a class with you, you are That Girl.
If you are That Girl, I have some advice for you. Dominating class discussion is NOT okay. You are at Smith, not some anonymous State U. where the majority of the students have nothing to contribute but a resounding belch from their pre-breakfast beer. Your classmates, given the chance, WILL have something constructive to add to the conversation if you only give them that chance. Some of them are shy - that doesn't mean they have any less to contribute than you do. It just means they need a brief pause to allow themselves to take a self-affirming breath before raising their hands.
If empathy is not enough to get you to listen, then perhaps this will: professors don't like That Girl, either. Our professors are savvy. They have something you don't - a graduate degree. They recognize brown-nosing and discussion domination when they see it, and, depending on the professor, it can actually lower their opinion of you - and even your grade. Present your viewpoint, and, if they don't agree, just defer to their greater experience (or, at the very least, act like you are). After all, your professor is the one handing out your grade at the end - not you. Strike a balance. Contribute, by all means, but give everyone else a chance to contribute, too.
I can't stand That Girl. I mean, I really can't stand her.
If you are afraid you might be That Girl, watch for the symptoms:
1. If your classmates roll their eyes whenever you start waving your hand in the air as if you are having a seizure, you are That Girl.
2. If you find yourself correcting your classmates' contributions on a consistent basis rather than allowing the professor to do it, you are That Girl.
3. If you walk into class late to a chorus of disappointed sighs, your classmates were hoping you were absent - and you are That Girl.
4. If, instead of simply presenting an alternate viewpoint to your professor, you find yourself in an out-and-out argument with her, you are That Girl.
5. If a support group has formed for students who have had the misfortune to take a class with you, you are That Girl.
If you are That Girl, I have some advice for you. Dominating class discussion is NOT okay. You are at Smith, not some anonymous State U. where the majority of the students have nothing to contribute but a resounding belch from their pre-breakfast beer. Your classmates, given the chance, WILL have something constructive to add to the conversation if you only give them that chance. Some of them are shy - that doesn't mean they have any less to contribute than you do. It just means they need a brief pause to allow themselves to take a self-affirming breath before raising their hands.
If empathy is not enough to get you to listen, then perhaps this will: professors don't like That Girl, either. Our professors are savvy. They have something you don't - a graduate degree. They recognize brown-nosing and discussion domination when they see it, and, depending on the professor, it can actually lower their opinion of you - and even your grade. Present your viewpoint, and, if they don't agree, just defer to their greater experience (or, at the very least, act like you are). After all, your professor is the one handing out your grade at the end - not you. Strike a balance. Contribute, by all means, but give everyone else a chance to contribute, too.
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