Sometimes, griping is good

As I have frequently expressed, I don't enjoy whiny entries from fellow students who complain that things are too hard, too time consuming, etc. But I recognize that sometimes people need to gripe, and I can fully appreciate that need. When one feels stressed and frustrated, it's therapeutic to vent. Go ahead; vent. Don't whine. Don't insult the Association. Don't assign blame for your own inadequacies. Otherwise, gripe away! Provide fellow students with some identifiable comic relief. We all feel that way from time to time.

The following is a gripe from the Student Lounge that I rather enjoyed. You can tell the course is past the halfway point, and the poor student is starting to feel the pressure of the looming exam.

Hi.

This is my 12th course through [the Association] and I have passed them all but feel I'm going to fail this one. My feeling is that I am not so much learning the course material as I am just simply involved in a big scavenger hunt. The notes are most times so vague, and they read something along the following lines:

Module 6.2 will deal with "Auditing around the computer". Pages 250-350 in the text deal with this topic very well, so we won't tell you what the term "Auditing around the computer" means. Instead, we will let you read the text to find out. The text will take 100 pages to explain an idea that could have been printed in a paragraph, but we know you have lots of time to waste and we like to kill trees so, there. There is also an excellent URL listed at the end, but it won't work half the time. The reading lists seven "must know" points, in no particular order, and we won't list them in your printed notes because that would be too easy and you might learn something quickly and efficiently. If you can only find five points in the reading, you're not looking hard enough. If you have problems, ask the tutor. He or she will answer your questions an hour after your assignment is due.

This is an exaggeration but does anyone else have this feeling?!! I'm spending most of my time searching for information to do the assignment and not really learning anything in this course.

I love it! It's the student's 12th course, so we know that he or she has some perspective. A fear of failing is expressed, which we can all relate to. The complaint is in relation to a general lack of organization and wordiness in the materials, which I certainly have experienced in courses. No whining; no insults; no attempts to assign blame. Just an expression of frustration. The student recognizes that he or she can sort through the material and learn the course if given enough time, and he or she is clearly working to do so. And feeling pressured.

All in all, I think this is an excellent gripe. Fun for everyone!