Professors studied longer than you’ve been alive

Professors see it all the time: a student rudely interrupts, contradicting something the professor just taught. Female professors and professors of color have it the worst.

instructional faculty are female, they sometimes still have trouble getting the respect from students they deserve.

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Students who refuse to listen to their professors have always been a major issue, but there is a subset of students who actively try to contradict what their professors teach, despite the simple fact that students go to college to learn.

This problem is especially bad when it comes to female professors. As of fall 2022, there are roughly even numbers of male and female instructional faculty at SIUE. However, sexism is still a rampant problem in society and, though 54 percent of SIUE

SIUE, like any college campus, is a microcosm of the wider society around it. Thus, societal problems seep through the campus borders. Last semester’s campus climate survey, the results of which can be viewed online, revealed a host of issues, among them racism and sexism.

In its “Perceptions of bias incident reporting” section, the campus climate survey notes that 27 percent of administrators, faculty and staff have experienced bullying, and administrators in particular were most likely to experience bias via gender discrimination. While this is not an exact number for instructional faculty, this does reflect the trend of sexism present both at SIUE and in society as a whole.

In addition, the SIU system performed less favorably than peer institutions as a welcoming climate for gender expression.

All of this, coupled with findings on the perceived efficacy of bias incident reports, creates a climate in which minority populations can often feel unwelcome, or even actively snubbed. Female professors are at the forefront of this issue, as they have the most interaction with the student population on any given day.

Some students feel as if they know more about a topic than their professor, and when the professor is female, the dense weight of sexism can rear its ugly head when said student acts condescendingly towards their professor.

This is not to say professors are infallible. We’re all human, and we all make mistakes. However, even if a professor messes up every once in a while, that is no excuse for a student to be condescending toward them.

Students may not even intend to be condescending, but a good way to avoid this is to think about how to phrase a question respectfully before you raise your hand. Not only is doing this more civil than the alternative, but it is far more productive, too. Simply being polite can avoid needless arguing between professors and students and avoid an atmosphere of tension in the classroom.

Students should also be more occupied with listening and learning instead of trying to prove a point. College is about learning from other perspectives, not just reinforcing your own.

This Valentine’s Day, focus on loving yourself

AUDREY O’RENIC copy editor

When you hear “Valentine’s Day,” odds are you think of flowers, cards, chocolate and the idea of love — which is precisely the problem.

Valentine’s Day, in theory, is the celebration of love itself.

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However, the day’s true meaning has become buried under its rapidly increasing commercialization. Suddenly, Valentine’s Day has become the day when love lives are put on display; it has become a day of expectation, competition and magnification.

The stress caused by the commercial construct of Valentine’s Day can be a lot, in a relationship or not. Social media falsely magnifies the “perfect” parts of relationships, creating vain competition and high expectations for those in a relationship, and singling out those who are not.

Many single people, like myself, are often left with a low sense of self-worth as they are constantly reminded of their relationship status. It can be disheartening and discouraging to be alone on a holiday dedicated to celebrating those who are together.

It’s not all that easy for couples, either. The immense and growing pressure many couples feel to reach, or even one-up, the unrealistically high expectations set by society is shown in just how much is spent on Valentine’s Day. Americans are projected to spend $25.9 billion, with an average of $192.80 per person on Valentine’s Day gifts and activities this year, according to the National Retail Foundation.

Love does not equal material objects, but rather the emotional connections we share with another person. Giving gifts can be an expression of gratitude towards another person, but it does not have to be the only way you can show affection. For example, you could clean around the house, write a heartfelt letter or say a simple “I love you” — all of which cost virtually nothing.

Furthermore, we should love all year round. Love must not and arguably cannot be confined to a single day. Healthy relationships, whether it be with a romantic partner, friend or family member, take time. In order to establish a deep emotional connection, relationships need to grow, bond and experience together, which cannot happen within a single day. This Valentine’s Day, give yourself a little extra love. We do so much for others that it’s easy to neglect ourselves. And if you feel alone, remember you are your own built-in best friend. People can come and go throughout our lives and relationships can flourish and fail, but ultimately, we are our only life-long relationship. Self-love is the most important type of love you can have. So do activities that you enjoy, reflect on your successes and tell yourself, “I love you.”