My Eternal Salvation and Professors with Egos the Size of Texas

Our ward takes monthly trips to the OKC Temple to do Baptisms. Unfortunately, these sessions are on Wednesday nights when I have class until 7. By the time I got out, got home and to my car, I wouldn't be there until around 8:15 or 8:30. As the OKC Temple does not have daily open baptisms (it does have open baptisms on the first Saturday of each month), a temple trip is well worth finagling your way out of class.

At the beginning of this class, we take an individual quiz, and then retake the quiz with our groups. Then we sit for 45 minutes or so and our professor explains why each answer is correct. Then we sit for another hour and she rambles on about interesting things she has come across in her consulting for big oil and gas companies.

Last week, she went off on us as to what constituted as a "good excuse" to miss a graduate level class. In her opinion, death or illness are the only excuses she will accept. Interviews are highly unacceptable (but who would have an interview at 4:30 on a Wednesday?). Of course, church excursions are bound to be inexcusable. What I wasn't prepared for was her response to me this evening when I approached her and told her that I would be leaving early (after the quizzes had been taken) to head out to the city for a church function that was important. The first thing out of her mouth was, "Well, that's simply just not a good excuse to miss class." In my head, I'm responding with, "Excuse me? My eternal salvation and the eternal salvation of the 40 or so Spirits that I will do work for aren't as important as your Oil & Gas Accounting class???" Of course, I don't say that out loud. I nod and smile and say, "I understand that."

She then says, "I appreciate that you will be here for the quiz. That way I don't have to dock your points on that. But I will have to take off some of your participation points." Once again, in my head, I respond with, "Uh huh, like that's going to matter since I'm one of the 3 or 4 people in that class who actually participates." Of course I really smile and nod and say, "I understand completely. Thank you, Dr. So-and-so."

Ironically, this same professor is requiring us to attend a conference that will force me to miss another class that is required for my degree. Apparently, her class (which is an elective class) is not just more important than interviews (which will get us jobs), but also required classes (which will get us degrees). I love dealing with egotistical professors.