Wait a beat before packing up your things in class

You’re sitting in class. The professor has been speaking for exactly 48 minutes. She starts to say words like “for next time” or “one final thought,” indicating class is winding down.

And then, everyone around you starts to pack up their things. Loudly. The teacher is still talking, but you can’t hear a word.

This is an experience that I’m willing to guess every University of Wisconsin-Madison student has gone through. Likely, most of us experience it two or three times a day.

You may think this phenomenon is no big deal — certainly not worth writing a whole article about. To that, I say: what is the point of becoming an opinion editor if I can’t occasionally use the platform to air a small grievance? 

You may think this phenomenon is annoying, but not indicative of any larger issue. Think again. The collective instinct to get up and go as soon as we can and to talk over our teachers tells me that academia isn’t valued the way it once was.

Classes have become transactional. Students go because the material will be on the test, because the test is 30% of their grade and because their grade could make or break their GPA. Once they’ve gotten what they needed, they have no issues running to the next thing.

We’re all guilty of that kind of thinking. We’ve all gone to office hours to get an A, not to genuinely engage the professor in a conversation.

But every once and a while, try to remember that academia is a luxury as well as a burden. It’s not just something you should check off on the way to your career, it’s a fleeting chance to read, to study and to learn things that you won’t later in life. It’s your chance to say, “Hey, I’ve always wanted to know more about Russian literature. Maybe I’ll find the time to take a class.” This mindset is especially important to keep in mind as we hit that point in October where every task, every assignment feels like agony.

The professor might not save the most important content for the final moments of class. But she’s earned your full attention either way. Think about how much you’ll be missing this time in 10, 20, 40 years, and sit down just a little bit longer. Maybe ask the professor a question after class. Maybe even do the readings in advance.

I get it. Not every class can be your favorite class, not every lecture will inspire your future career. But for some students in the class, it might. For their sake, you can wait another 50 seconds before shutting your laptop.

Lauren Stoneman is an Opinion Editor. She is a senior studying history, philosophy and political science. Do you agree that students leave classes too soon? Send all comments to opinion@dailycardinal.com.

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