Mini Class Crisis Last Night

My Tuesday night class is my favorite this semester. I love the professor and I feel like I'm learning a lot. Plus, I get to volunteer like crazy since my confidence is pretty high and half the class doesn't do the homework (apparently). I also have a group project for this class. I hooked up with two other classmates and it turns out they graduated this past May and are in the full-time grad program. Yeah, I'm the old coot of the group. We had our first deliverable due last night and we worked for hours this past weekend basically killing ourselves over the financial projections. At one point Sunday, we simply couldn't get our balance sheet to balance so we decided to ask the prof's help. I wrote the email on behalf of the group.

The first half of last night's class was devoted on how to do financial projections. Helpful and much needed - yes. What killed it for me was the fact that after explaining each point, the professor said IN FRONT OF THE WHOLE CLASS, "Do you get this Ann-a?" I have a thing about pronouncing my name correctly and I have an ever bigger thing about being treated like a freaking special ed student in front of the entire class. After about four more "Do you get this Ann-a?" I replied saying, "Yes, these numbers basically match mine," and spent the remainder of class time until break blinking back tears. I was upset that I felt humiliated for asking a question and I was upset that my favorite class and professor lost their status.

During break, I had a refreshing cry in the bathroom, slapped on a smile, and spoke to the professor. He apologized and we had a good talk so no more fuming and festering. He got my name right for the rest of class and actually complimented one of my insights. The class is clinging to favorite status now.

I'm happy my group is going well. The only hurdle is trying to schedule meetings with full-time students. The woman is nice, enthusiastic, and not a fast thinker. Which is good for me because sometimes my brain races ahead of logic so having a person I have to explain myself to is handy. The guy looks like a medieval elf (not Tolkien) and he lives in Watertown. He can keep up with my thinking and tangental asides. We have a good group dynamic going. Plus, last night I found out they are both Liberals. It's nice to know I can slip in occasional Bush bashing without offending anyone.