It’s nearing that time again, when all college students put their books and pens away for roughly a month, and then high tail it to the snow, park in front of the TV for a while, or even under the comfort of their warm sheets for a good twelve hours, dreaming about not being in class. Yes, winter break is almost here. But will we really be able to relax without having to think about that last and final test?
Students are often left in wonderment at the end of each semester just after finals, when the grade of the final is quite uncertain. The staff here at The Skyline View supports the idea that professors should offer us- on behalf of students- the option of handing in a stamped, self-addressed envelope, enabling them to send us back our final test, so that we can at least see what areas we need to work on.
Some of us, believe it or not, do worry about school- or at least our grades. As most of you are aware, students in classes that have written final tests are required to turn them in, quietly gather their belongings, and proceed to the nearest exit, careful not to distract any of their classmates. And those are the final moments spent inside of the classroom for many. But what about those students who can’t help but worry if they got that last part of the test right? Often times, our overall grade in the class depends on the performance of the final grade- i.e. you need 94 percent to get the grade you want. Yes, we are going to receive the grade we earned whether or not we view the final before hand, but at least our frail minds will be at ease.
There is also the possibility of there being a typo or some other kind of error which is out of our hands. We’d be able to see what went wrong, and possibly even fix it. The error could even be our five points away from a higher grade.
So then there’s the counterargument.
Teachers and professors barely have time for themselves. Why take the extra time to file through a stack of addressed envelopes to try and find the name of the corresponding test they’re grading, stuff it in, and mail it? Well, chances are high that the stack won’t be too big, since what we are asking for is the option to hand in an envelope, not the requirement. It’s doubtful that each and every student will submit one. Teachers could even have us sign up for the option, and have two separate piles for students who are interested, and students who could care less. Or even better, we could actually place the test in the envelope, and turn it in just like that. No brainer.
There’s also the possibility of a lack of postage stamp funding. If there is not enough stamp coverage to properly mail the envelope, does it become the teacher’s jurisdiction to purchase some extra one cent stamps and add on to the fare out of pocket? Is it fair that a teacher should have to do supply extra stamps for his or her student? No, it’s not exactly fair, but the truth of the matter is that it’s probably not likely to happen anyway. If you think about it, most finals are merely written tests, and sometimes a term paper. That wouldn’t cost much to send through the mail. Teachers should just be clear to instruct students to place at least two standard 37 cent stamps on the envelope, and most likely everything will work out. Besides, most students would gladly reimburse any shortages.
The worst possible thing that could come from such a request would perhaps be paper cuts- but we are just as susceptible to those by turning a page in a book. Please understand, we are pitching a suggestion. We are not demanding to be given the option to have our grades mailed to us, we are only trying to bring it to the attention of other students and teachers alike. It would be nice if next semester it started to happen more often, but surely, we will live if it doesn’t. Still, it can’t hurt to ask, right?