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if Dr. Laid-Back doesn't have one, suggest that perhaps the class can work together on one. As for those discussions, if you're up to being a class leader, you might keep gently steering them back on topic. If not, consider meeting with other students outside of class for study groups.

THE ORGANIZATIONALLY CHALLENGED
She comes into class clasping a heap of notes and papers. She dashes out again for something she forgot, then dashes back still lacking the forgotten item. The syllabus indicates there's an exam next class, but Dr. Disorganized hasn't produced a study guide and in fact is surprised that the test is coming up so soon. No one is heartbroken that she then puts the test off until next week because you're all still trying to make sense of the seemingly random lectures. Dr. Disorganized may be a new instructor, or this may be her lifelong habit.

The hazards: It's up to you to make sense of material that is presented so haphazardly that you wonder if Dr. Disorganized understands it herself.

How to cope: You'll have to be as organized as possible yourself. If there's a class textbook, take notes on the readings and organize your notes into an outline. Take the best notes that you can in class, and merge the information from the notes into your outline. This will help you give structure to the jumble of information you gathered in the lecture. Help Dr. Disorganized keep up with due dates by asking helpfully in class, "Will there be a study guide for next week's exam?" Office hours are also a good time to drop by and ask about term projects or exams well ahead of the due date.

THE UPHILL-IN-THE-SNOW-BOTH-WAYS OVERLOADER
Back in the day, when Dr. Uphill was a student, there weren't any fancy computers, projectors, and the like. No, everyone had to write by hand (or chisel on stone, you're thinking), and by golly, you learned better that way. Back in his day, the professors piled on the work, so by golly, he'll pile on the work, too. Students were better back in his day, and didn't complain like the whiners today, by golly. If you'd just study harder, he says, you'd all be doing better, so if you're not learning it's your fault. So stagger back to your dorm room with your five-chapter reading assignment, and don't forget it's due tomorrow, along with your first class essay. But cheer up. The average on the last exam was 35%, a full 3% higher than last term's class got.

The hazards: Even if Dr. Uphill's class is the only one on your schedule, you risk a nervous breakdown

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