Academic Secret

As if grad school weren't stressful enough, I have to deal with expectations from certain significant others that I am going to nobly self-sacrifice for the benefit of people who should not be here in the first place--that I am going to build a travois of intellectual assistance and drag the dead weight of certain fellow students across the academic wilderness with me, sharing my pemmican and everything.

Aside from the fact that this seems patently ridiculous to ask of anyone, it seems particularly ridiculous to expect me to do it. I don't think I ever gave the impression of being nice, let alone some kind of academic martyr. I don't even have time to clean my own bathroom, and it's not like anyone would do anything for me if I took on this task.

This thankless task, I might add, because as far as I can tell this person cannot tell that I am exponentially smarter and more with-it than they will ever be, and is in fact more likely to stare at my chest than listen to me explain concepts.

And yet, I find myself tendering all kinds of explanations instead of more honestly saying, "It is not my responsibility to keep this person from flunking out of school." I kind of feel like I shouldn't have to; this should be obvious to everyone concerned. But apparently it isn't.