Jack gets called out

The semester is off to quite the start – my days are filled with Westlaw searches, Tax Notes, and Bloomberg Portfolios.

And then there are the classes.

A few things have changed since my J.D. days in Minnesota – TWEN has been ditched for something called Canvas and I am expected to find all of my assigned readings online, which means that I did not have to purchase any books. (Which is amazing!)

…and there is definitely something different about the younger students.

Specifically, a few of the younger LL.M. students, to my horror, openly text during class.

My classmate Jack is among the young texters. He likes to sit in the front row and casually text throughout the lectures.

This morning, one of my professors approached Jack during a break in the lecture and politely told him to lay off the phone use in class. Jack looked disturbed for the rest of the lecture.

Jack met up with Jill and I during lunch. (Jill is also in her 30s, whereas Jack is 25-ish.)

Jack: “I can’t believe what Professor A. told me today! She asked me to stop texting during class. Can you believe it?!“

Jill: “Uh, yes. I can.”

Me: “I’m surprised that it took so long for her to say something!”

Jack: “Huh? What do you mean?”

Jill: “Oh, it’s so rude that you sit in the front row and text. I can’t believe that you do it.”

Jack (gasping): “Really??”

Me: “Yeah. It’s super crazy. It would be one thing if you’re discretely texting in the back of a crowded classroom under the table… but texting in the front row of a small seminar is like waving to the professor and screaming, ‘I AM IGNORING YOU!'”

Jill: “Yeah, at my previous law firm that would get you fired.”

Jack turns red. He tries to explain that texting is normal and that he had no idea that it is rude to text during a lecture (or when someone is talking to you.) Apparently Jack texted in class throughout his J.D. program and none of the professors ever said anything.

Jill and I shrug as if to say “kids these days.”

I then explain that people over 30 generally have different standards for texting in social situations, and that most professors likely do not appreciate the behavior. Jack listens wide-eyed, like I am explaining some secret code of the haggard and aged.

I’m not sure whether Jack agrees with Jill and my standards…but I suspect he will stick to messaging on his laptop from now on.