Tell me, does this make for a good first day? Or not?
1. Before I’d even arrived at my office, a student showed up at my door and, when I turned out not to be there, asked my colleagues in the surrounding offices whether it would be worth her while to come to my class that afternoon.
2. Nine of my former students have registered for my 103 class this semester. Nine. Two of them showed up at my office before class to tell me that they were excited about the course (and to ask if it was really worth their while to show up to class that afternoon…)
3. One student pulled that trick of bringing a friend to class and then they sat there smirking at one another about the fact that I DIDN’T EVEN NOTICE that there was someone in the classroom who didn’t belong there.
4. One girl nodded off repeatedly while we went over the course outlines. Then, when she had finished doing her writing sample, she asked to speak to me and explained that she will miss the next four classes because she’s going to England for a wedding. When I suggested that she should speak to her dean and ask that notifications be sent to her teachers about this, she explained that she was flying out at 6 the next morning. This was at 5:30 p.m. Her writing sample is pretty much unreadable.
5. Almost everyone smiled and said goodbye as they left the class.
6. Nobody cried, set fire to anything, or exploded in rage. Not even me.
Classroom as Microcosm 
More importantly, do *you* think it made for a good first day?!?
Personally, I find that unless the day went absolutely perfectly well (on occasion, it has happened just because, by some wonderful blessing from above, I have had a great group in each section), I usually feel somewhat uneasy and somewhat elated after the first day. I usually don’t feel really comfortable until the second or third or fourth week. Though, certainly, the lack of a fire on your first day certainly seems to bode well! ;->
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I agree, Maia – whenever anyone asks how it went after the first class, I find myself replying, “How can I know?” They don’t get much opportunity to talk in the first class, and in any case, they’re still pretty self-conscious. I guess I should enjoy that while it lasts.
I did walk out at the end, though, feeling pretty good about it all. So I’ll try to take that for what it’s worth.
Thanks for your comments!
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“Nobody cried, set fire to anything, or exploded in rage. Not even me.”
you are hysterical (i mean funny hysterical).
i loved reading this list.
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I guess it all depends on the days that follow, doesn’t it 🙂
Your post is hilarious. I love the way you depict these students.
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As Homer Simpson would say, it’s funny because it’s true.
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