High School High

My International Law escapade - Nerd on the Run: This time it's personal.

So I had this one class where every week a certain group of students were required to write a short 1 page response paper regarding the weeks reading. Now, first things first, let me say that the class was a 2 hour a week waste of time. Actually, I enjoyed it as I spent a full 2 hours writing notes back and forth between me and the 2 people that sat beside me, one of which was the infamous Gold Nugget. In any event, I had a busy weekend prior to when my response paper was due. Also, I did not remember that my week was coming up until a day before my paper was due. I guess I'll blame that one on the fact that I had yet to print out the syllabus from the class -- im such a rebel.

So the day of the class rolls around and I figure it's not such a big deal. Right before the break in the class (it's 2 hours so we get a break in the middle) the Professor calls me out and says he'd like to speak to me during the break. A fellow student a few seats down yells out 'busted!', while some students to my right, seemingly in unison and well rehearsed and choreographed chanted "someone's in trouble, someone's in trouble". Just some friendly jeers I thought, still assuming that I was in the clear.

So I go and speak to the professor, he is clearly irritated and seems to be taking it as an insult that I didn't write the paper. I mention to him that I was under the impression that my week was the next weeks readings (looks like im learning to lie like lawyers do already, eh?) He is surprised and pulls out the syllabus which clearly states in bold big font everyone's assigned dates for the papers. "How could it have been any more clearer?" I mention something along the lines of "I'm sorry, I was going by another system." 'Another System'??!!!! What the hell does that mean? Ha ha, not I, but I said it.. I think it actually threw him off and confused him. Back to the story. He then goes "Alright, u can do the paper for next weeks readings" (I'm in the clear!!... or am i?)

He then asks me "But you did do the readings, right?" "Sure! I did, I just didn't realize it was my week to write a response paper" (sounds of impending doom and danger are now playing in the background) "Great, I'll call on you then" (eeeep).

So we have 5 mins left before the break is over and I'm contemplating what to do! Do I try to do the reading before class? Lemme investigate. Again, I have no syllabus (lord have mercy!) so I ask someone real quick to check theirs out - 30 some pages of reading assigned. I try to tell myself that I will put my hyped up reading skills to the test and see if I can skim the hell out of this mofo of an assignment in 5-15 mins. (we had a guest lecturer the first half who was running behind.. so she still had a few more points to make before my professor would take over) Hmm.. 2 seconds into the first sentence and I'm like "screw this." There was no way I was even gonna attempt to read this stuff... Too much pressure, too much reading, too risky, and of course, I'm too lazy :-)

I ask some classmates for some advice. No one has any ideas. Do you? Let's see if you can figure out my maneuver, I thought it was pretty clever, and very High School - esque (Hence the name of the post). So I come up with a plan, and the plan is this: I stick around for the second part of the break, but only for a bit before I conveniently have to go to the bathroom. I leave all my stuff in my seat, my book wide open, notebook out, pens out etc. To the naked eye, I'm out for a quick break. To the keen observer, I am now guilty of fleeing the scene of a crime. Prior to the end of the break, I tell G. Nugget I am just going to leave and never come back. I'll leave my stuff and ask him to just pick it up for me when class is over and meet me somewhere in the lawschool after class is done. He agrees. It's on. 15 minutes into the second half of the class, I make a break for it. I look straight ahead, think of a warm beach and the pacific ocean where I hope to work on a boat (Oh wait, that was Shawshank Redemption). In reality, I walk out quickly and quietly, nervous as hell. I'm out the door! "Celebrate good times come on!" I go down and see some friends, tell them my ordeal, seems to be a good story all around. So I just hang out and enjoy life for the next 45 minutes or so, though I must mention that I still had some lingering feelings of worry and stress for some reason. So class eventually ends and my friends hands me my bag. Turns out the professor calls on me and mentioned "oh it looks that 'so and so' hasn't returned yet'. I survived. Afterwards, a few people approached me and were like "bold move." Sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do. I guess, in hindsight, what I gotta do is print out the damn syllabus and do my work! Oh well, I have no regrets.. was a fun experience and makes for a story.