Univeristy of Nebraska – Lincoln political science department advisor Ruth Baas met with freshman political science major Tyler Hansen to discuss a scheduling matter yesterday at 4:57 p.m. Baas leaves work everyday around 5 p.m.

Hansen wanted to drop a 200-level history course that was “like, way too much reading, ya know?”, but he had no plans for a course to fill its place. Hansen needs 12 credit hours to stay in his dormitory, but dropping this course would lower him to 9.

With nearly every class option as a plausible choice, Hansen could not reach a decision as time crept closer to 5 o’clock, or freedom for Ms. Baas.

“I hear Astronomy 109 is hard, but I’d have to wake up at 8:30 for Geology,” Hansen said at Baas.
“Or I could take Nutrition 151, but that’s online. I don’t know what those are like yet.”

It was at this point, Baas considered sneaking out of the room while Hansen was buried in his degree audit.

Without saying a word, Baas sat there while Hansen continued with the thousands of possibilities the freshman could decide on.

Then the clock struck 5.
“Just choose one. It doesn’t matter what class you take. You’re a freshman. Take one and move on. You have four years here,” Baas said as she snapped the pencil she was holding in her hand.

Baas pointed to a random class on the registry list and said, “Here. That one. It’s easy. Take it. Just take it. Go on.”

The meeting concluded immediately after. Hansen ended up taking a different 200-level history course.