hy is it that the end of every semester always feels like one 
is being pulled from several directions at the same time?  Why do we 
put ourselves through the mayhem of meeting with students at the last 
minute as they frantically try to write a 10 page paper, assigned four 
weeks ago, but only now coming to their attention, the day before it is 
due?  Why do we have to "reason" with students as to why the final exam 
day cannot be moved so that they can leave campus early to join their 
families in some exotic Caribbean resort?  Why do we always set ourselves 
up by thinking that we are pulling our students into the thrill of 
education, of asking questions, of pursuing adequate answers, only to 
have them ask at the end of the semester:  "What do we have to know for 
the exam?"?  Why do we put ourselves through this "crunch time?"  

Is it because we love our students?  Teaching?  Or is it because we 
ourselves are so engrossed in the process of learning that we forget 
that most of our students just want to survive high school or college 
in order to get on with "real" living?  Oh yeah, maybe that's it!