Roxy would like to apologize for her absence last week—with midterms in full swing, sometimes even Roxy runs out of stamina (only outside of the bedroom, of course). She knows many of you face the same problem by mid-quarter: how to balance work and play. Well, Roxy’s found a way to get the best of both worlds—TAs.

 

Since you’re going to be spending all of your time at office hours and review sessions in the next few weeks, Roxy thinks you at least deserve a little extra credit. There may be plenty of grade inflation at Stanford, but if you’re looking to get anything else inflated in the classroom, Roxy advises you study up.

 

TAs at Stanford are a diverse group: undergrads, grad students, the ones who are so nerdy you wonder if they’ve ever been outside a library or lecture hall, the ones who are only slightly nerdy…. Undergrad TAs are an easier target, if only because you’re more likely to run into them at parties (if you run into your grad TA at a frat party, Roxy suggests you set your sights on someone else stat). But, as you might expect, Roxy prefers it hard…so she goes after grad students.

 

After class or at office hours, Roxy likes to drop subtle (or not so subtle) hints. “This assignment is so long and hard…,” or “I could really use some one-on-one office hours” or even “I like your curves…on the midterms, I mean.”

 

Roxy advises that you remember that grad students are a different breed (unless they’re coterms, in which case they probably wish they were still undergrads. Offer them the promise of an undergrad-like experience, and Roxy promises you’ll get an experience of your own.). For other grad students, bear in mind that they haven’t had fun in at least two years. It’s probably for the best that you don’t over whelm them or you’ll never end up under them. As with other old people, things will probably have to move slower than you’re used to.

 

Roxy wishes you the best on midterms and your, ahem, extracurricular pursuits. Good luck—this is one time you won’t be graded on a curve.