Gree Algea

Since I have to retake all of the sciences I took in undergrad (and then some) with labs, I'm taking Bio I this semester (among an assortment of other classes).

I live in the South, and am taking my post-bacc classes at a 4 year university.

The T.A. who "teaches" my Bio I lab section is a grad student (common). He bears a startling resemblance to Kenneth the Page from 30 Rock (uncommon). He also speaks with an indecipherable southern accent, and his presentation style ranges from low muttering to drawling monotone (I sincerely hope this is uncommon). We are too dumb to know how to use the microscopes, and they're "real too 'spensive" to be wasted on any undergraduate learning. Or maybe just for an introductory science class, because in my Micro class my lab professor seems to think we should be using the microscopes during every lab period (sounds about right). Hence, practical learning occurs.

My Bio Lab T.A. spends most of our lab period "lecturing", and then spends the majority of the rest of the period talking to the hot girls in my class who wouldn't give this guy the time of day in any real life setting. He also seems to take some sort of perverse pleasure in being viewed as a hard ass, even though I don't think anybody thinks for a minute that he's a real hard ass. Every once in awhile he'll have a shitfit about someone bringing a bag of Doritos into the lab or wearing open-toed shoes in the lab because it's a huge safety violation (remember: we aren't even allowed to use the microscopes in this lab section, so there isn't much use of dangerous chemicals and/or instruments, since we aren't allowed to actually DO anything). In the midst of such a shitfit he will generally kick all of the offenders out of the class in a huff. I've had professors in law school and in undergrad who I was actually scared of. Students at any age can easily tell who the real badasses are. This guy has probably never gotten laid and you know he plays World of Warcraft 8 hours a day without stopping to pee or eat. Nobody is afraid of him.

He seems apathetic at best about teaching this lab class. I myself choose not to believe that a 4 year university could turn out a T.A. who thinks "Green Algae" is spelled the way it is spelled in my blog title today. Yet, when we were reviewing for next week's lab practical, that is exactly what appeared on the blackboard. "Gree Algea".

Is this the best the South can do?? Seriously.