Don't Be That Guy

Lately I've been struggling with a problematic situation. It is necessary that I tread lightly, lest I slip and careen into an abysmal horror that is best described as “being that guy.” Let me begin by asking this: have you ever found yourself in a class that was painfully simple for you but seemingly not for anybody else? Did the teacher of this class ever get frustrated when you were the only person to raise your hand, prompting them to quite thoughtlessly say, “Is X the only person who's going to answer today? Does nobody else, NOBODY besides X want to try? X, I've called on you too much today, let's give someone else a chance!” This is pretty much exactly how my problem started.

First of all, how is the person who actually knows the answer and wants to talk about it supposed to feel? Even before teachers make statements similar to the aforementioned examples, it's evident when they start to get tired of calling on you. The way their eyes first fix on you, then trail aimlessly through the classroom as they hope, even PRAY that somebody else shows interest, then back to you (as a side note, I find it particularly interesting how long some instructors allow this to go on). At this point, aware that he or she can't outright refuse to call on you, the teacher reluctantly allows you to speak your mind. Now, I tolerated this throughout my grammar school and high school career, but now that I'm in college I've had enough. Should I honestly have to sit there with the answer in my head while somebody else stutters out nonsense? How does that benefit me in any way? I'm not saying that I'm unwilling to listen when somebody else thinks they know the answer and want to participate. That is an entirely different situation. What I'm saying is this: when a teacher knows that I am the only person in the room besides him or her that actually cares about what's going on and decides to force someone else to talk, I call shenanigans.

As a result of this, I started to feel less and less obligated to attend the class. Honestly, why even go if all I do is occupy space? Am I supposed to follow along with busy work that I've been able to do for over a year? However, I digress.

Recently this teacher has started to treat me with a noticeable degree of disdain for being absent often. I, for one, find this to be an act of gross hypocrisy. If I'm not going to be called on, why should I even waste my time? What incentive is there for me to attend a class that has been stripped of value? I honestly feel that every time I go to that class and don't answer regularly, I may as well have stayed in bed that day. It's as though I'm being told, “I am literally taking points from your final grade because you can find better uses for your time.”

Up to now I've only described one half of the whole situation. The lame part is that it's quite difficult to find someone who can empathize with me. I'm aware of how easily someone could come to the conclusion that I'm just a snotty nerd if I just say, “Don't you hate how easy this class is?” I mean, my friends generally side with me when I present them the scenario, but that's really more a product of them knowing me than appreciating my dilemma, I feel.

Now I ask you to weigh in on this topic. Not necessarily my specific issue, but anything of the like. Perhaps together we can eliminate at least one possible incarnation of “that guy.”