Once every three years...

You may have heard of Van Halen's aversion to brown M&Ms and perhaps you also know the story behind it. I'm actually doing something similar, even though I'm not doing Rock concerts.

I've always wondered if any of our students would actually read the syllabus we have to enter into the administrative system for each of our courses each semester. It's a really painful activity, because this poor excuse of an administrative system was designed with user inconvenience in mind.

So a few years back I wrote at one place in a syllabus for a 3rd-year course: "You can get a xxx if you come to my office and tell me yyy. Only one is available." I think it was three (or four?) years ago that someone claimed that prize. I can't remember what it was, it was small, related to Germany and free.

Then nothing for at least two years, so imagine my surprise when on Tuesday two girls approached me and said "Dresden" - the password for fridge magnets with a view of Dresden. They only expected one, because they were in the same group, but since nobody in the other group had claimed theirs, I gave them both.

So now I know for sure that about every three years up to two students may actually read the materials we have to put on display. Interesting statistics for a potential discussion with academic affairs...

And I need something new for next year...
#academics #exercisesinfutility