I am in lab for Advanced Organic Chemistry right now and the students are working on their final project. It's week one of a three week process and I wish that they would stop asking me questions, because being the final project, it seems kind of important. And frankly, I haven't taken the class in two years and I don't know what layer they should take out. I just let them talk at me with their problems and ask everything back to them. (Usually though, I start with the blank look and "wait, what are you doing? Why?") When that fails and they ask me more questions, a "yes?" usually does the trick. Now, if they wanted to know the proper protocol for spilled aluminum chloride? That I can help with. But if they should add methylene chloride to the product or do another wash? Those are questions are too important to be directed toward me. I just sit here to collect the check.
Addendum: Boy just came up to me and asked me what to do if he got something on his arms. I believe he's the same boy of the aluminum chloride fame.
"Do you know what it is?"
"Um, I don't know. This white stuff, see?" (Points to white forearms)
"Does it hurt? Actually, you should probably just wash that off. You should always wash that off no matter what."
Somehow, this boy reminds me of the young me.
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