Dear Professors

Dear Professors,

Did you forget? Did you forget what it's like to be a student? It seems like you did. You treat us like you've never been a student trying to keep it all together. Did you have a professor that treated you like you're treating us? Is that why you act like you do? Now that you have the power, you can do whatever you want. You can post multiple weeks of content in one day, leave us with extra course work to do while trying to study for exams. You can refuse to give us a review before the exam, or even provide us with a list of concepts that could be on the final. You have the power and we just have to go with what you say and do.

But how does it affect you? By New Years you'll have forgotten about us and moved on to another class. You will have submitted your marks without a second thought about what students went through to get those marks. You'll move on. But us, we'll still be hoping that all that cramming is paying off and that all those tears, sleepless nights, and breakdowns got us the mark we worked for. We're the ones that are working for marks for scholarships and to stay in programs. How does it affect you to give us a review, or not overload us with work last minute? The worst thing that could happen if you give us a review is that we do well on the final. Do you not want that? Do you not wish your students will succeed?

Is it fair the way you treat us? No. Do we have to put up with it and actually pay to be treated like this? Yes. Why? Because you hold all the power. Some of you say that students have to be put under immense pressure to weed out the ones that shouldn't be in university or to prepare us for the future. I agree students should be put under pressure but is it really necessary to break us? Some of you will say that you went through the same thing when you were in school. Does that make it right? Just because something happened one way in the past doesn't mean it has to happen that way forever. Just because something happened to you, doesn't mean you have to do it to others when you're in the position.

I know that this stress and work will pass and I will complete everything to the best of my ability. I know I will get that degree eventually and all this stress and frustration will be worth it. I know you probably have stresses in your life too. You probably have deadlines and responsibilities outside of being my professor. I understand, I really do. What I don't understand is how someone can be in your position and look at us with such little understanding. You of anyone should understand what it's like to be a student trying so hard.

Now, I am not saying give us students an easy time. We need to be pushed that little bit to be our best and university should be a stressful. All I am asking is that you don't go out of your way to make our lives harder. All I am asking is that you try to remember what it was like to be a student. I am asking  for you to treat us fairly and with respect. Answer our emails, don't talk down to us, teach us, be organized, and don't let your mistakes penalize us. If you are behind in posting or giving content, be honest and accept that. Don't make us do more work in a short period of time because you messed up the schedule. Please just remember we are people too and we have lives that are affected by your decisions.

Sincerely,
A student who is trying their best.

P.s. This isn't for all professors. A majority of professors love what they do and care about their students well-being and success. Those professors make us want to continue and shows us that it is possible to be a professor who cares. To those professors, thank you. You have made a positive impact us. I promise we appreciate you more than you know.