Thursday, February 18, 2010

My Name is...

Some of you may remember a post I did back in September about people getting my last name wrong. I followed that up with this post when Google spited me with suggesting my name be spelled differently. Well, Apple never wants to out done by Google and tonight my iPhone stuck to me in a similar but different way.

When your last name is Rawlins, one thing you have to be prepared for is being called "Rawlings". A LOT. Even as an LDS missionary where I was wearing a name tag 100% of the time, it seemed I got Rawlings as much as Rawlins. Well, thanks for keeping the trend alive iPhone.


However, I can't be too hard on people as I recently butchered one of my professor's name. A few weeks ago I had a question about a test, so I stopped by the instructor's office.
(Door is open)
Me: *knock-knock* Mr. Wilberg?
Professor: Wiberg
Me: Excuse me?
Professor: It's Wiberg. There is no "L" in my name.
*Silence*
(I look at his name plate on the door)
Me: Well, I'll be... you're right.
Professor: I know.
AWKWARD....

On another note, I never know what to call my professors... Mr./Mrs. So-and-so? Prof. So-and-so? Dr. So-and-so? Just by their first name?

12 comments:

  1. I would err on the side of formal until you get to know them better. One of the professors I did research with at USU would have died if I would have called her anything but her first name. The way I see it, they put a lot of hard work into that title, let them be the ones to say if it's too much.

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  2. I agree, but how do you know if they are a Dr. or not... Do I default to Prof?

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  3. Also, I love the screen shots I can take with my iPhone...

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  4. I always called them professor so and so unless they made it a point to have the class call them by their first name. Or if they had a phd...

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  6. Yeah, I would never start with first name. Professor would be best if they don't have that all important PhD. How do I know? I think I need to just start calling everyone Dr.

    In fact, that is what I will do... I will start with Andre Romelle Young. From now on he will be known as Dr Dre. He shall be a great rap producer. That is my prediction.

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  7. If my awkward moments can bring people join, my job is done.

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  8. and then it gets even more confusing when brother and sister so-and-so gets thrown in the mix. i usually just stick with professor.
    i made the mistake of calling a professor by their first name last week and was quickly corrected.

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  9. Mindy,

    Was that professor my mother? Probably not, but that's how she feels too.

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  10. Dustin - no, it was Tamara Ferguson, but by the time I was a senior I was calling a lot of my professors by their first name. That probably had more to do with the fact that I was in an Honors society and worked closely with a lot of the professors.

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