SAIC: I'm having a problem here.

I'm in my journalism class... that's not called a journalism class but instead "Writing for the School Paper."

There's this guy in my class.

He.... irritates me.

Greatly.

We've verbally tussled a few times. During his last discussion/argument with another student, I started hitting myself on my forehead with a plastic bottle... repeatedly. HARD. AND LOUD.

Another time, he criticized a student for making a generalization and minutes later proceeded to make a generalization himself.

So yeah. He irritates me.

And yes, I bring baggage to the interactions because he's a transfer student who apparently has worked in the film industry or at least is studying film. Typically, I don't enjoy film majors. I've lived and learned and worked amongst them in Montana and New York, seeing similar personalities in either place. Notably, I've transferred out of each of those schools. Baggage, indeed.

Currently, we're discussing/critiquing a student's paper on reasons for First Year students' for transferring. For me, it confirms a lot of opinions I've been hearing from other students. Complaints about the cost of school in general and specific (residence halls have raised the contract breakage fee for students who move off-campus to save money), international students being denied any kind of financial assistance, and a School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) specific complaint of too much emphasis on "conceptual" art (suggestion being that students' conceptual work is more often bullshitting of an assignment rush job).

It's a well written article. Needs an ending but well written.

A large majority of the class has heard similar complaints or perhaps have had those same complaints. The exception that makes himself very known: this guy.

Note: I REPEAT that I bring in an ENORMOUS amount of baggage to this interaction. I've also realized that he sort of resembles an ex-boyfriend of mine so THAT's fantastic.

So he starts talking.

At this point (as in THIS point where I'm writing this), I've smoked a cigarrette, blown some bubbles, and concentrated on writing this. Therefore, I've calmed down a bit. The initial energetic rage has dissapated.

So.... he pissed me off and was making generalizations about art students' high school art education and (to make another generalization) speaking in a condescending manner throughout.

That is all.