So I was an unwitting participant in a teachers graduate thesis today. That would awkward enough if it weren't for the day I had preceding this event:
After sifting through my kids closets for over two hours, removing battered clothing and things that were a bit too tight, I set about my day of errands. -I seem to have a lot of errand days lately.- I picked up some makeup, baby shower gift bag, and some drinks for myself and my little ladies before trying to get my TB test read (required for my fall internship)... all the while a great storm looming over my shoulder. Racing down to the Health Dept I was met by a deluge (which only made my kids complain more. Now I'm WET and bored mom). After waiting in adult health for about 20 minutes, which wreaked of some awful smell, I was finally called back to a room. I knew my TB test was negative, but paperwork is a Biotch and I had to sign and wait for something to print off to be cleared. Well unfortunately, as my nurse was trying to print on an unfamiliar computer, weather emergency sirens were blaring outside. This forced us out in the hall 'for safety' and my kids were totally freaked. I asked why we were being sent to the hall and not downstairs and was told "this is protocol."
To them I say "enjoy your protocol when I get sucked out your second floor window because y'all don't know what tornadoes are capable of."
But besides the point, it turns out it was an emergency siren for a Severe Thunderstorm Warning that had already passed. I don't think I need to comment on the genius of this 'emergency' warning.
So with bored, whiny, wet children I finally left the HD with the proper paperwork around 3:30. I was right on time for a photo shoot that a classmate asked me to join the night before. This invitation came totally out of the blue and I knew very little about the shoot. "Just meet me at Dillingham at 4." Dress was what "any college student would wear." So I had time to grab a snack for the kids and some CSU T-Shirts at the Book Store *just in case* before I headed down to the Dillingham Street Bridge.
So, for my friends of Columbus and Phenix City... when you hear Dillingham you think:
BRIDGE
So, how was I supposed to know there was any other Dillingham??? at 3:40 I was at the bridge. At 3:50 back up at the visitor's center because my kids had to use the restroom. 4:01 back at the bridge. Where the hell is my contact? No one answered texts; no cameras were present. In 95 degree weather in post-storm humidity I was getting kind of pissed off. by 4:11 I was ready to move on and only then did I finally make contact with the person who asked me to join the photo shoot.
"Yeah fine, so we can still shoot you. I'll be outside." And this guy... he knows who he is, told me he just made too many assumptions about everyone knowing where Dillingham was (it's a nearly vacant section of building attached to the visitors center. Ironic that I was just there right?) . Is that an apology? I'm totally embarrassed because I'm never that late for anything unless something screwy has happened and NO ONE CALLED ME to ask where I was. And yes by this point the kids were agitated and bored senseless.
Rushed in for "the shoot," I'm not actually told what it's for, but that it might include video. I'm not introduced to the video guys... but they're there. Then I hear... hey "Prof X, why don't you give her that test?"
While I'm being set up to take this, the film guys get their camera's ready (and my kids get to play PBS kids on another computer). *I'm confused* I'm taking this test which I later find out is supposed to be something that most Comm majors feel confident in assessing, except it's something I already know I'm not good at. The whole time I take it, I'm harassed by Prof X and other students for not being a good enough comm student "you should know this" (except I know I don't so this doesn't phase me too much). I FAIL the test (duh) and out of pity(?) I'm asked if I want to take it again. "Uh sure" So this time I PASS with an excellent.
Honestly the whole thing just had my mind spinning, I had no idea what was going on and was totally pissed about being rained on and then out in the sun, forgotten, ready, and then subject to some strange actin folks.
Turns out the TEST was formatted so that no matter how well I did, I was set to fail the first time and to succeed the second time.Researchers you will recognize this as standard testing format for certain hypotheses.
Again, I probably broke the data a bit because it wasn't as frustrating to me then as it was supposed to be, but it's all I've been thinking about all day. I don't usually react in the moment, I take all day (week, month) to process things. So now, I'm irritated! LOL! I don't know whether I'm irritated at my own gullibility or if I'm just bothered that I was a guinea pig. More, I'm confused over whether this was a photo shoot to begin with or if it was just a clever ploy to get me in the hot seat. I should have trusted my gut (if I had a nickle for every time I said that I wouldn't need to be in school)
So my husband laughed at me tonight and said "Guess that's college for you," and it really is, isn't it? If you're in school you're fair game for your professors. Easy access to a diverse pool of research participants.
As if there wasn't reason enough to be paranoid already...
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