Exchanges with People that Make Your Brain Hurt

[KenveeB]

Today I was in the elevator with a girl wearing Sperry's, a very tight white shirt with a tank under it, and booty shorts that were made of pinstripe material-I think my suit pants are made of the same cloth. But I also have underwear that are longer than those shorts. Her friend complimented her shorts and the girl replied "Well, I wanted to be comfortable, but I also have a meeting with a professor."

All of the grading is done anonymously so I know she wasn't trying to troll for a good grade, but...really. What do you hope to accomplish with a professor by putting on what looks like half of a "sexy lawyer" costume?

Pinstripe = professional didn't you know? 

Unfortunately, there are some women who have NO idea what "professional" attire actually looks like anymore. All you see in the magazines is sexy stuff that's more appropriate clubbing. If you don't have a woman in your life who can tell you better, you may not learn.

[Diane AKA Traska]

Today I was in the elevator with a girl wearing Sperry's, a very tight white shirt with a tank under it, and booty shorts that were made of pinstripe material-I think my suit pants are made of the same cloth. But I also have underwear that are longer than those shorts. Her friend complimented her shorts and the girl replied "Well, I wanted to be comfortable, but I also have a meeting with a professor."

All of the grading is done anonymously so I know she wasn't trying to troll for a good grade, but...really. What do you hope to accomplish with a professor by putting on what looks like half of a "sexy lawyer" costume?

Pinstripe = professional didn't you know? 

Unfortunately, there are some women who have NO idea what "professional" attire actually looks like anymore. All you see in the magazines is sexy stuff that's more appropriate clubbing. If you don't have a woman in your life who can tell you better, you may not learn.

It all depends on the profession.   

[NyaChan]

I'm having the same problem right now - we are filling up our spots for moot court teams and we consider dressing in courtroom attire to be very important.  Regardless of what they wear in the "real world" moot court attire is conservative.  The offenders included:

Cocktail dress with no jacket
Capri pants (not even of suit material) with cloth ballet flats
Pink pants, Green Jacket, Pink bow tie

Sigh.   

[Adelaide]

I'm having the same problem right now - we are filling up our spots for moot court teams and we consider dressing in courtroom attire to be very important.  Regardless of what they wear in the "real world" moot court attire is conservative.  The offenders included:

Cocktail dress with no jacket
Capri pants (not even of suit material) with cloth ballet flats
Pink pants, Green Jacket, Pink bow tie

Sigh.   

We have this problem as well. I was nervous about starting law school because I felt like people would zero in on things like "Are my jeans dark wash enough/not too 'blinged out' for class?" or "is this kind of material under my blazer okay?"

Yeah, no. People are showing up in t-shirts with holes and one morbidly obese girl refuses to wear anything but spaghetti straps. I bring up her size only to emphasize that because of sliding and bunching issues, the "shirts" tend to ride way, way down. Think gratuitous amounts of side boob, no/minimal bra.

The weird thing is, we have had several people emphasize that we need to dress appropriately. Our orientation schedule had very detailed instructions about what they considered dressy enough for class photos all the way down to the types of business casual they wanted us to be wearing.

[EmmaJ.]

I remember a Judge Judy episode where one of the witnesses was wearing a very low-cut blouse and a very very short skirt. At least 99.9% of her legs were showing.  The judge stopped the proceding and asked the witness if she thought that was appropriate attire to wear to court.  The girl replied, "Well, the store had this outfit in the professional section."

Then the judge asked her "Would you wear that outfit to church?"  The girl was shocked and said "Of course not!"

[Elfmama]

I remember a Judge Judy episode where one of the witnesses was wearing a very low-cut blouse and a very very short skirt. At least 99.9% of her legs were showing.  The judge stopped the proceding and asked the witness if she thought that was appropriate attire to wear to court.  The girl replied, "Well, the store had this outfit in the professional section."

Then the judge asked her "Would you wear that outfit to church?"  The girl was shocked and said "Of course not!"

The "Oldest Profession" perhaps? 

[Adelaide]

I just had a weird exchange with yet another guy who decided that he had to absolutely crush me when we shook hands and who was then surprised when I did not, in fact, let that happen. I don't know if it's some kind of power play for some men when they feel competitive or what.

[violinp]

Okay, I had a really brain - hurty conversation the other day with a close friend. He's a college senior, in a high - level history class, studying a fairly specific subject. Friend told me that he had to really help one of the people with him in the class. What kind of help? He has to explain to this guy what the U.S. Congress is, and what happened in the 20th century. He seriously does not know what World War I or II are, who Hitler is...and he's taking a class on the Holocaust.

Apparently, this guy only knows basic life skills and how to translate and speak foreign languages. He's not mentally handicapped. He's not autistic. He doesn't have any kind of disability that would keep him from learning this stuff. He just doesn't care enough to learn what one of the governing bodies of our country is. The kicker? He's a senior as well. 

How in the blue blazes can anyone get to that level of collegiate studies and not know this stuff?

[Kaymyth]

I just had a weird exchange with yet another guy who decided that he had to absolutely crush me when we shook hands and who was then surprised when I did not, in fact, let that happen. I don't know if it's some kind of power play for some men when they feel competitive or what.

I don't have the hand strength to successfully engage in a contest of hand-crush, but I have absolutely no qualms about gasping and/or yelping when somebody's competitive streak causes me physical pain.  And my pain threshold happens to be on the low side.  I've been an instrumental musician for most of my life; potential damage to one of my hands is not something I take to kindly.

[snowdragon]

Okay, I had a really brain - hurty conversation the other day with a close friend. He's a college senior, in a high - level history class, studying a fairly specific subject. Friend told me that he had to really help one of the people with him in the class. What kind of help? He has to explain to this guy what the U.S. Congress is, and what happened in the 20th century. He seriously does not know what World War I or II are, who Hitler is...and he's taking a class on the Holocaust.

Apparently, this guy only knows basic life skills and how to translate and speak foreign languages. He's not mentally handicapped. He's not autistic. He doesn't have any kind of disability that would keep him from learning this stuff. He just doesn't care enough to learn what one of the governing bodies of our country is. The kicker? He's a senior as well. 

How in the blue blazes can anyone get to that level of collegiate studies and not know this stuff?

You'd be surprised. he is not too far out there. I am a grad student - we just had the "Anne Frank Project" at our school, we set up the art show.  I have classmates who have no idea who Anne Frank is. Or why she is important to remember.
 
In my Folklore classes, a Senior who did not know how to do a bibliography, another who did not know who FDR was and another who did not know we had been to war in Vietnam. The latter two subject were a main part of the class ( one class being on the folklore and music of the depression and the other the folksongs of Vietnam vets) Basic knowledge of all types is down from previous generations.  Even at a senior level kids are missing major portions of what we thought of as a basic 8th grade education in my day ( 40 years ago) basic English sentence structure, civics and citizenship, and even what constitutes a "Scholarly Resource" for research, are still being taught to College seniors.  In three semesters of Anthropology, we have to teach upper classmen, the difference between It's and Its, There, Their, and They're and other basics along with how to books in the library and articles in periodicals and basic research techniques.   The lack of basic knowledge is incredible these days.

[Adelaide]

Okay, I had a really brain - hurty conversation the other day with a close friend. He's a college senior, in a high - level history class, studying a fairly specific subject. Friend told me that he had to really help one of the people with him in the class. What kind of help? He has to explain to this guy what the U.S. Congress is, and what happened in the 20th century. He seriously does not know what World War I or II are, who Hitler is...and he's taking a class on the Holocaust.

Apparently, this guy only knows basic life skills and how to translate and speak foreign languages. He's not mentally handicapped. He's not autistic. He doesn't have any kind of disability that would keep him from learning this stuff. He just doesn't care enough to learn what one of the governing bodies of our country is. The kicker? He's a senior as well. 

How in the blue blazes can anyone get to that level of collegiate studies and not know this stuff?

You'd be surprised. he is not too far out there. I am a grad student - we just had the "Anne Frank Project" at our school, we set up the art show.  I have classmates who have no idea who Anne Frank is. Or why she is important to remember.
 
In my Folklore classes, a Senior who did not know how to do a bibliography, another who did not know who FDR was and another who did not know we had been to war in Vietnam. The latter two subject were a main part of the class ( one class being on the folklore and music of the depression and the other the folksongs of Vietnam vets) Basic knowledge of all types is down from previous generations.  Even at a senior level kids are missing major portions of what we thought of as a basic 8th grade education in my day ( 40 years ago) basic English sentence structure, civics and citizenship, and even what constitutes a "Scholarly Resource" for research, are still being taught to College seniors.  In three semesters of Anthropology, we have to teach upper classmen, the difference between It's and Its, There, Their, and They're and other basics along with how to books in the library and articles in periodicals and basic research techniques.   The lack of basic knowledge is incredible these days.

I'm personally very ignorant about a lot of things. I think that it has to do with the inadequacy of gen ed classes in college and the level of specialization you go through when you move up. I could tell you all about what goes on inside of a cell but I have no idea about any of the details of WWI. All I know about Anne Frank is that The Diary of Anne Frank is sometimes required reading for people and that she was a Jewish girl hiding in an attic in WWII.

I feel like if we're going to be required to take so many general education classes there should be certain things built into them. A required class or two on the basic levels of government and the history of your country, as well as the highlights of world history, would definitely be in order. It's really weird how far you can get without knowing things that should be very basic.

[Mental Magpie]

Okay, I had a really brain - hurty conversation the other day with a close friend. He's a college senior, in a high - level history class, studying a fairly specific subject. Friend told me that he had to really help one of the people with him in the class. What kind of help? He has to explain to this guy what the U.S. Congress is, and what happened in the 20th century. He seriously does not know what World War I or II are, who Hitler is...and he's taking a class on the Holocaust.

Apparently, this guy only knows basic life skills and how to translate and speak foreign languages. He's not mentally handicapped. He's not autistic. He doesn't have any kind of disability that would keep him from learning this stuff. He just doesn't care enough to learn what one of the governing bodies of our country is. The kicker? He's a senior as well. 

How in the blue blazes can anyone get to that level of collegiate studies and not know this stuff?

You'd be surprised. he is not too far out there. I am a grad student - we just had the "Anne Frank Project" at our school, we set up the art show.  I have classmates who have no idea who Anne Frank is. Or why she is important to remember.
 
In my Folklore classes, a Senior who did not know how to do a bibliography, another who did not know who FDR was and another who did not know we had been to war in Vietnam. The latter two subject were a main part of the class ( one class being on the folklore and music of the depression and the other the folksongs of Vietnam vets) Basic knowledge of all types is down from previous generations.  Even at a senior level kids are missing major portions of what we thought of as a basic 8th grade education in my day ( 40 years ago) basic English sentence structure, civics and citizenship, and even what constitutes a "Scholarly Resource" for research, are still being taught to College seniors.  In three semesters of Anthropology, we have to teach upper classmen, the difference between It's and Its, There, Their, and They're and other basics along with how to books in the library and articles in periodicals and basic research techniques.   The lack of basic knowledge is incredible these days.

I'm personally very ignorant about a lot of things. I think that it has to do with the inadequacy of gen ed classes in college and the level of specialization you go through when you move up. I could tell you all about what goes on inside of a cell but I have no idea about any of the details of WWI. All I know about Anne Frank is that The Diary of Anne Frank is sometimes required reading for people and that she was a Jewish girl hiding in an attic in WWII.

I feel like if we're going to be required to take so many general education classes there should be certain things built into them. A required class or two on the basic levels of government and the history of your country, as well as the highlights of world history, would definitely be in order. It's really weird how far you can get without knowing things that should be very basic.

I think part of the problem though is that this has nothing to do with college and more to do with high school.  I read about Anne Frank long before I had to simply because of who I am, but I officially learned about Anne Frank in 8th grade.  Thus, to me, Anne Frank is general knowledge simply because I learned it in the course of 8th grade work.

[violinp]

Okay, I had a really brain - hurty conversation the other day with a close friend. He's a college senior, in a high - level history class, studying a fairly specific subject. Friend told me that he had to really help one of the people with him in the class. What kind of help? He has to explain to this guy what the U.S. Congress is, and what happened in the 20th century. He seriously does not know what World War I or II are, who Hitler is...and he's taking a class on the Holocaust.

Apparently, this guy only knows basic life skills and how to translate and speak foreign languages. He's not mentally handicapped. He's not autistic. He doesn't have any kind of disability that would keep him from learning this stuff. He just doesn't care enough to learn what one of the governing bodies of our country is. The kicker? He's a senior as well. 

How in the blue blazes can anyone get to that level of collegiate studies and not know this stuff?

You'd be surprised. he is not too far out there. I am a grad student - we just had the "Anne Frank Project" at our school, we set up the art show.  I have classmates who have no idea who Anne Frank is. Or why she is important to remember.
 
In my Folklore classes, a Senior who did not know how to do a bibliography, another who did not know who FDR was and another who did not know we had been to war in Vietnam. The latter two subject were a main part of the class ( one class being on the folklore and music of the depression and the other the folksongs of Vietnam vets) Basic knowledge of all types is down from previous generations.  Even at a senior level kids are missing major portions of what we thought of as a basic 8th grade education in my day ( 40 years ago) basic English sentence structure, civics and citizenship, and even what constitutes a "Scholarly Resource" for research, are still being taught to College seniors.  In three semesters of Anthropology, we have to teach upper classmen, the difference between It's and Its, There, Their, and They're and other basics along with how to books in the library and articles in periodicals and basic research techniques.   The lack of basic knowledge is incredible these days.

I'm personally very ignorant about a lot of things. I think that it has to do with the inadequacy of gen ed classes in college and the level of specialization you go through when you move up. I could tell you all about what goes on inside of a cell but I have no idea about any of the details of WWI. All I know about Anne Frank is that The Diary of Anne Frank is sometimes required reading for people and that she was a Jewish girl hiding in an attic in WWII.

I feel like if we're going to be required to take so many general education classes there should be certain things built into them. A required class or two on the basic levels of government and the history of your country, as well as the highlights of world history, would definitely be in order. It's really weird how far you can get without knowing things that should be very basic.

I think part of the problem though is that this has nothing to do with college and more to do with high school.  I read about Anne Frank long before I had to simply because of who I am, but I officially learned about Anne Frank in 8th grade.  Thus, to me, Anne Frank is general knowledge simply because I learned it in the course of 8th grade work.

This. I knew all about 20th century history - the highlights anyway - by the time I completed middle school. I was floored that something that, to me, was so fundamental to basic education could have either not been taught to this person, or it went in one ear and out the other.

[Elfmama]

This. I knew all about 20th century history - the highlights anyway - by the time I completed middle school. I was floored that something that, to me, was so fundamental to basic education could have either not been taught to this person, or it went in one ear and out the other.

That's it exactly, Violinp.  If I can judge from my long-ago classmates, they remember it just long enough to answer more-or-less correctly on the test, and then forget it because it has no relevance for them.  The concept of knowledge for its own sake is completely foreign.  Demonstrate to them that YOU know things and they look at you like you have two heads (and the second one is making faces at them,) just as if you walked up to them and began spouting off in Klingon.

[Mental Magpie]

I am currently looking for potential places to live in the case that I get the job I am so hoping to get.

One listing, a home to rent, lists that the home is a 2-3 bedroom house.  However, it also explicitly states ONE ADULT (just like that, caps and all).