Technology can be a love or hate relationship. Fortunately, at least some professors are not afraid to embrace the newfangled world of technology that exists outside Columbia’s oak-paneled classrooms. Watch as organic chemistry professor Luis Campos shares a few moments from his lecture…in 20x.

Professors say the darndest things. Sometimes it’s unintentional, and sometimes it’s a well planned line that they’ve used for years to break the ice. Either way, we find them funny, and Bwog collects the best quotes at the beginning and end of each semester. Here is a roundup of our favorites so far.

Prof. Lambert, Organic Chemistry

“Seriously, you just spend three years making piss?!”

Sam Moyn, Historical Origins of Human Rights

“Hi, I’m Sam, I work here.”

Evan Neely, CC

“I love reading my CULPA reviews…my favorite one, and I know who it is, we always know, goes, “I’m an athlete, so I don’t have time to do all the reading, and gets it.” No, I don’t get it! I just don’t care if you don’t talk.”

Christia Mercer, Philosophy and Feminism

“What if a penguin walked in the class smoking a cigar and told you to go fuck yourself? … I enjoy saying that too much.”

Gary Okihiro, Intro to Comparative Ethnic Studies

“…and to greet me they presented me with a pineapple, which was funny because I had just written a book about pineapples.”

Professor Simpson, Intro to Native American Studies, talking about one course book’s topic (land acquisition) versus a book involving a lot of ”sexy times”

”Getting killed for your land – SO not sexy”

Laura Kay, Life in the Universe

“We use big numbers in astronomy. You all should be getting used to billions and trillions from Congressional discussions anyway.”

“You guys pay like $5000 a class, so you might as well pay attention.”

Hey there! Merry Christmas to you. Many of you, like many of us, were expecting a special gift by today: fall semester’s grades. And many of you, like many of us, are without said grades.

So, we’ve begun to compile a list of professors who have yet to upload your final marks. Use the comment thread to shame your professor, and we’ll add him/her to our list. With a little Christmas magic — and some Google-able dishonor — we might all be able to get our grades by New Year’s. 

(Grades are actually due two weeks after the last class — making some seminar grades overdue — or two weeks after the last final.)

The Damned:

Billinge, Simon, Thermodynamics, Statistical Mechanics, and Kinetic Theory

Blake, Casey, US Intellectual History 1865-

Bollinger, Lee “PrezBo”, Freedom of Speech & Press

Brandt, Kim, Intro to Japanese Civ

Cole, Brian, Accelerated Physics

Read more…

Bwog knows that you are “writing” your 25 page papers and “studying” for your heap of exams, so we came up with a little procrastination contest (and you don’t even have to open any extra Firefox tabs).  Just search your professors on Facebook (yes, we know you have it open) and post your favorites on the thread, with reasons defending your choices.  Bwog has a few examples.

French Lecturer Vincent Aurora has activities such as “Gesticulating bombastically over a few too many drinks” and status messages like “Vincent has survived 13 consecutive days alone with his children–an unparalleled feat–with no fatalities.”

Logician Achille Varzi, because his profile picture is inexplicably upside-down and he is in a group called ‘metaphysicists’ not ‘metaphysicians’. Read more…

As per custom, Bwog unveils its list of the most outrageous and laughable comments made by professors at their first class meetings of the year.  Be sure to email us with all of the inspiring, hilarious, and insane things your professors say today to bwgossip@columbia.edu to keep our tradition alive, and please check back as we continuously update the list.

Christina Hunter, Art Hum

“This is a very easy class to fall asleep in, especially if you’re an athlete and have already ran 5000 laps. I suggest you sit in the uncomfortable chair in the front to stay awake.”

Self-described “quirky” Political Science Professor Mona El-Ghobashy, in Intro to Comparative Politics

(Explaining her thoughts on cell phones): “I’m probably one of five people in New York who doesn’t own a cell phone. I’m a cell phone hater, not a congratulator.”

(Answering why none of her works are on the syllabus): “You can look me up on Google!”

Read more…