Multiple Class Syndrome

(I’m taking a 101 drawing course as part of my freshman year. The freshman course for art students in my college is very rigorous. The professor that teaches this particular class is an adjunct, so this is her only class and her first year teaching it. This conversation happens about a month into the class.)

Professor: “I have to say, I’m kind of disappointed in you guys. A lot of you don’t finish your assignments on time, and when you do they aren’t up to the quality I’d expect.”

Student #1: “Well, you do give us an awful lot of work…”

Me: “Yeah, the assignments you give us are usually at least 10 hours of work on their own each week.”

Professor: “That’s not so bad! You only have, like, three other classes, if they all give you the same amount it would be about a full work week!”

Class: “…”

Professor: “What? What did I say?”

Me: “[Professor], most of us have a total of about six or seven classes a week. I think a few of us might have eight.”

Professor: “Really!? No way!”

Student #2: “I have my schedule right here if you don’t believe it…”

(She apologized profusely and cut down on our workload after that!)