Today, no matter how hard I try, I simply can’t understand my professor’s incredibly thick accent. When I asked if anyone else in class was having trouble, they accused me of being a racist ass. I genuinely have no idea what he’s saying, and no one will share notes with me. Lectures are mandatory. FML
Collection
Thanksgiving
Questions about your love life, a burnt turkey and the cousin who knows everything: Thanksgiving, a contact sport.
Today, I worked up the courage to ask a question in a packed lecture hall. The professor repeated my question, except he'd misheard me and rephrased it into something wildly incorrect. The class laughed. Instead of correcting him, I nodded. Now half the class thinks I don’t understand the difference between correlation and causation. FML
Today, after our teacher had said this class would be very important and that we should take notes, instead of writing notes, I brought a recorder to class. After class, I listened to the recording, and all I could hear was muffled voices. FML
Today, I gathered the courage to participate in a class discussion. My professor laughed at me. FML
Today, I sat through an incredibly long and tedious class lecture. Just as my professor was nearing the end of his lecture, the resident stoner loudly yawned and asked what we'd been talking about for the past hour. We got to hear most of the lecture all over again. FML
Today, the mother of my most boneheaded student got upset when her “precious baby” miserably failed my class. She then threatened to accuse me of failing him due to racism, because I’m black, somehow overlooking the giant camera on the ceiling I installed for my own safety. I hate my job. FML
Today, as a teaching assistant, I somehow uploaded my personal notes instead of the lecture slides. My “notes” included reminders like “slow down, idiot”, “this makes no sense”, and “students will hate this part.” Several students emailed me saying they appreciated the honesty. I would've appreciated the ground opening and swallowing me whole. FML
Today, one of my classmates pointed out that our professor has a habit of sucking his teeth at the end of each sentence. I'd never noticed before. I can't concentrate anymore, all I can focus on is his weird teeth noise thing. FML
Today, a classmate posted a recording of a recent lecture on my university's Facebook page, so we could listen again and take notes at home. A few minutes in, I heard myself asking a question. I then heard snorting and some girl muttering "dumb cunt" under her breath. FML
Today, I failed a final presentation. My partner, who did none of the research, presented the entire project, talking over me and glaring when I spoke up. He denied everything and the professor didn't believe me. Now I have to retake this class with the same professor. FML
Today, during a Zoom meeting, I thought my mic was muted. I sighed loudly and muttered, “I have no idea what this guy’s talking about.” The “guy” immediately stopped talking and said, “If you’re confused, I can repeat stuff.” Everyone stared in silence while I melted into my chair. FML
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Top comments
1known 34
Record him and maybe by hearing him again you’ll understand him.
RichardPencil 32
Drop the class and take it later with someone you can comprehend.
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Comments (10)
1known 34
Record him and maybe by hearing him again you’ll understand him.
rotflqtms_ 21
So read the textbook during lecture. Find the syllabus and see what chapters are being covered. I had a microbio professor I had to do that for. Got the highest grades in that class.
D J's MOM 17
I agree, just record it. for what it's worth, they probably can understand him either but don't want to admit it.
ninjacat 10
http://eurolinguiste.com/accent/ might be a helpful article to read. My best friend’s husband is from south east Asia and can’t for the life of him understand any of the British accents. We give him a hard time but he makes far more jokes about it than we do lol. You’ll get there. Be patient with yourself.
RichardPencil 32
Drop the class and take it later with someone you can comprehend.
Marcella1016 32
For some reason I can’t reply directly to their comment, but ninjacat, that was a great read, thank you! Never heard of EuroLinguiste but that was a really insightful article on how some people find it much harder or much easier to understand accents than others. Plus great tips for both speakers and listeners.
slhiggx 17
Email your professor with this
Brightside86 31
Been there in college there was a student with a southern accent so deep I needed a translator.
sch00ln3rd 11
There is Google translate app that you can use to “translate” English to English. It will pick up what it thinks is being said. If it’s still not possible to understand take a screenshot of the jumble to your professor and from a place of desperation and not accusation explain. Ask for help and advice. I also agree that you should be doing AND include in the email that you’re reading the syllabus to learn more because you really are taking this class seriously.
IHaveThePower 18
You might have auditory processing issues. Ask your doctor for a referral to an audiologist and\or neurologist.