Expectations

During a conversation with one of my professors today, it became painfully obvious to me that he did not have the slightest clue about what vet school entailed for students these days.  He asked me what I'd been up to, clearly insinuating that there was absolutely no answer to this question he would accept because he expected me to work (for free) in his lab on a fairly regular basis.  Given that I have class literally every single day from 8am to 5pm (with an hour break for lunch), the answer was simple:  Well, sir, I've been in school.  Because, you know, I'm a vet student.

Apparently though this wasn't a good enough answer.  Two other students work in his lab (for pay) on more or less a regular basis, so their presence somehow negates my excuse.  Nevermind the fact that we are taking completely different classes, so they actually have free time to spend working for him...

Also nevermind the fact that when I do get a chance to work for him, it's for free.  I don't have a whole lot of motivation to MAKE time to work on a project that isn't mine, particularly when I have other priorities right now.  Such as trying to finish my MPH and achieving decent grades in vet school...

What do you do when people have completely unrealistic expectations of you, particularly in cases when that person is an authoritative figure?

Brighton and me, Christmas 2010

One of the many reasons I love animals is that they have absolutely no expectations of you.   The love they give is completely and utterly selfless.  Unfortunately I can't say the same thing for people, and I am certainly just as guilty of setting unrealistic expectations of people as the next human being.  But when people fail to achieve the expectations we've set for them, as they invariably do, we tend to blame them instead of blaming ourselves.


Maybe it's time to look in the mirror and re-evaluate who is really to blame.