The drawbacks of Club Caltech

Getting into a class can be difficult. Not because there are too many people in it. Not because there are stupid rules about which classes you have to take first. No, people are perfectly confident that you have the capability not to fall on your ass. No, the problem is Finding Where The Class Meets.

The schedule for winter classes listed the Graduate Seminar in Molecular Neuroscience as meeting in 101 Kerkoff at 7pm on Wednesdays. I went to the class meeting. I was a couple (no more) minutes late. There was no one there. The door was locked. Let me also mention that it was in a locked building. No one had left a door open or anything, I just happened to know the the key to my building also opened the back door to Kerkoff.

I went home and sent the professor, who I have met with in the past, an email.

hello david -

i was hoping to attend the first meeting of your grad seminar tonight, but i didn't find anyone at 101 kerkoff. i was a few minutes late; did the class relocate? if it's still possible for me to take the class, could you send me a syllabus?

thank you,
holly

The response, from his assistant:

Holly,

The class is on THursdays at 7 in 151 Braun, there was a mistake on the calendar, you should show up to tonight.

Gina Mancuso

Roberta's thoughts on the matter:

What ever happened to "i'm sorry?"

"you should show up tonight?"

how about "you should get some social skills, imbecile."

Thank you Roberta for representing my id in this story.

Last night I went to the class meeting. The professor knew nothing of the problem; he had been out of town until that morning. He was very apologetic and immediately started thinking about how to reach other people who may have been put off as well. Few people showed up (surprise), so I'm presenting next Thursday. I don't mind that, and I'm looking forward to the quarter.