Merriam-Webster defines a midterm as an examination in the middle of an academic term. A UCLA quarter has 10 weeks. So what’s the deal with having a midterm this week? Last time I checked, half of 10 is not 9.
What can we possibly learn in the barely two weeks between now and the 3-6 p.m. test on the Sunday eve of finals week? And who’s to say we’ll even finish the last two chapters that you think are oh-so-important for our mastery of this GE class? We all know you love going on long, stupid tangents and telling us at the end of class to read the rest of your 80-slide PowerPoint. Why can’t we call it quits now? Sure, we’ll miss a week of stuff, but we still got 90% of the way there! That’s an A-!
I’ve done the work. I go to class (granted, I’m in the back of the lecture hall scrolling YikYak). I go to the hot TA’s review sessions. So let’s stop while we’re ahead.
I’ll do your little charade and take your “midterm” this week, but let’s agree to take around 100% of whatever I get on this test and call that my grade for the final, plus or minus the curve. I’ve got a plane ticket to Cabo and a tan to work on, so I’ll see you next quarter. Enjoy grading during spring break, loser.
