Dear students, about this coming holiday

Dear students,

I know that the university is closed on Thursday and Friday this week. I’m told it’s some kind of American holiday thing.

Should you happen to ask me if we are having classes on Wednesday, please forgive me if I reply with a little more sharpness in my voice than is really necessary. Please forgive me if I narrow my eyes, close them for a second, or even roll them.

You and I both know full well that the university is not closed on Wednesday. Wednesday is a regularly scheduled class day. It would be unprofessional of me not to have classes Wednesday. I’m sure you value learning (you paid to take this class with me, after all), and I would hate for you to feel you did not get full value for your dollar because I just canceled classes at random. On a whim. Because, you know, I just didn’t feel like coming in, or it would be inconvenient to me.

I know you don’t intend to impugn my professionalism, but that’s how it feels to me when you ask if I’m having class on a day the university is open. And because I have professional pride, I sometimes tend to overreact a little to questions like that.

Additional: See here.