I was "That Kid" in school...

You know... that kid....

The guy or gal who just needs to shut up when the teacher asks a question. Any question. They always have an opinion and they always want to share it. Doesn't matter that no one, possibly not even the teacher, wants to hear it. They are so excited about learning and knowing and being... they must say whatever they have to say.

I am one of them.

I know...

I knooooooooooooow!

Now, you may be wondering how I can recognize "that kid" when I am amongst their ranks. Because, when not in an English classroom, I was NOT that kid. In high school, I was never that kid. In high school, avoiding being that kid was easy because I was constantly insecure about everything I said- convinced it was stupid, wrong, would sound funny, or all of the above.

Ah, high school. Good times.

For a large portion of my undergrad, in fact, I was completely silent. Borderline mute. I was usually thinking about whatever I was reading, doodling in my margins about story-lines, or staring at the chalk boards in horror as they tried to teach me concepts I'd never understand. Simply beyond my realm of comprehension. Such as math. Or science.

But then, midway through my undergrad...things changed. I finished my gen eds and was suddenly in the world of my major: writing! Reading! And then my minor, interactive media! Designing! Illustrating! Creating! About writing! And reading!

Cue monstrous transformation. 

Frankly, becoming that kid... was inevitable. Once the high school insecurities fell away, my passion for reading coupled with my lack of a filter lent itself to my never. shutting. up. 

Ever.

And when teachers stopped calling on me... it didn't stop my determination to speak. I would just flutter around in a panic, hoping to be called on, begging to speak my mind, whatever it was on- despite the rolled eyes of my fellow classmates staring at me in exhausted horror.

Honestly, even at the time, I didn't know what to do. I couldn't stop it. The compulsion was too strong. Like word vomit. I would always go into my English class thinking quiet thoughts. But, they would burst forth as soon as my teacher asked a question I thought I knew the answer to.

Having been a normal student in all of my other classes- I knew how loathed "that kid" was. I myself had loathed "that kid". They came off all superior, all excited and awake. When all you want to do is sleep, "that kid" is bouncing off the walls with answers to questions you'd rather not be thinking about.

Everyone wants to kill that kid when they are in class with them. Everyone. There is a breaking point, of course. It's not an immediate murder plot. But eventually, everyone gets fed up with "that kid". And then everyone spends class imagining how to kill them.

There aren't a lot of ways to kill a student in a class room. At least, without getting caught. 

All things pointy, while probably the most tempting to day dream about, would never work to rid the world of "those kids". I am pretty sure the fact that my teacher had us in lecture seating is the only thing that saved me from death by pencil in my English 311 class, but really, all things pointy wouldn't work out in the assailants favor. 

Thankfully, most of the other ways to kill another person are JUST as conspicuous as sharp methods. Therefore, neither of the following were attempted by my classmates. Although, I am certain they were considered.

Wow. That last image is really violent.

I apologize. 

To you and to Darth Maul. 

In conclusion, next time you are fantasizing about killing "that kid" in the class you find boring or exhausting, try and remember that, while they may be a geek, it doesn't mean you should mentally kill them. 

First of all, because most of the methods are too obvious and flawed plans are no fun to fantasize about. No one wants to think about failure. Secondly, because "that kid" may be nice. Like I try to be. And maybe in other classes, they are just like you, quiet and annoyed with that other kid who won't shut up.

So, to all you normal people out there who just want to learn in a balanced learning environment, try and be forgiving for "those kids". Patience is a virtue.

And to my fellow out-spoken geeks, watch out for subtle murder plots. If you have people in your class who are more creative than pointy things, fire, and light sabers... you could be in trouble.

I'm not saying be afraid of your class mates...

Just cautious.