I don't mean to birch about students so early in the term, but I'm getting annoyed at the emails I get from some of them about their term assignments. They send me vague proposals and ask for help, I respond with some detailed advice on where to go next and ask them to get back to me with their revised plans, and....nothing. No thank you email, no follow up, no ammended assignment plan. Which leaves me wondering if they understood what I was saying to them and if they did, why they didn't follow up as asked. I know, I know. Established professors reading this are now snickering into their handkerchiefs.

Secret message to miss redhead: not a word of this comment, the blog or any other course related matter to our common acquaintances. I know you know, and I know you wouldn't, I just had to say it for disclaimer's sake, like.