Trivial dilema.

[Ghost!]

Hey guys. Nothing super important, but something has been bothering me over the last few weeks. I've studied hard all year (not to come across as arrogant or anything) and I go to a pretty mediocre school, so my efforts have stood out amongst my fellow students. Over the last couple of weeks I've been approached by a few people from my school asking for notes, and it really bothers me. I've been happy to play a leadership role throughout the year by helping students whenever they needed it, but come exam time, and the amount of people asking me for help who weren't interested before the exam period, I'm some what torn. I want to help as many people as I can, but I feel like I'm kinda being ripped off by handing out the work I've put so much effort in to for nothing more than a brief thank you, if that. With that in mind, my notes/help are often met begrudgingly, as students associate it with further study and aren't particular excited. So yeah, just kinda wondering if anyone has any thoughts on the topic, or has experienced anything similar.

Just a further note. Absolutely none of this applies to any members of VN. I'd happily hand out every piece of work I have produced to the majority of people in this community, primarily due to my understanding that we as a whole are a hardworking bunch and have contributed greatly to whatever ATAR score I finish with. So yeah, I hope no one has interpreted this as being addressed to them, trust me it isn't

Thank you!

[playsimme]

Can I have your notes please?

[jane1234]

Hilarious...^^

Ghost - I get what you mean. I don't go to a great school either, and a lot of people only seem to want help around this time, or before important SACs. What really pisses me off is when people think that we should all pitch in and "help" each other with every SAC - not realising that when you go to a mediocre school getting that coveted rank 1 becomes all the more important.
So yeah, completely understand. There are times when I'm happy to help people, and there are the times when I'm really not. I have done a good chunk of every single methods SAC this year because people figure they can't exactly ask the teacher - so they'll just ask me - and I don't even do the subject! I guess it comes down to what you feel is right - helping others because you want them to succeed vs. not letting people take advantage of you. No easy answer, I'm afraid, but you can say no to people if it really bothers you. Otherwise, guess you'll just have to deal with it because now is the time everyone's trying to make up for all the work they neglected over the year...
Anyway, sorry I'm not more helpful - often don't know what to do myself.

[Readinya]

Make money from your notes, especially from the people who annoy you?

Might not be ethical or whatever, but hey, you did all the work and they should express some form of gratitude, whether monetary or not.

[luken93]

Hahaha I feel your pain also Ghost, it happens to me as well, I'm in the same boat.

I don't give out my notes whatsoever to people, as firstly it brings up too many questions as to how/why I know the stuff I do, and secondly, although I don't mind helping, it has taken me a long time to compile and I don't really think it's fair when we are that consumed for time as it is, that we make it easier for everyone else.

HOWEVER, I kind of judge it on a case by case basis. If I see people are working hard, then yeah, I'll give them some exams because I don't see a reason why they shouldn't be able to extend themselves, but for those who are just looking to milk you dry, well sorry buddy, but do something for yourself.

That's my 2 cents worth

[Greatness]

Ahhh i feel you Ghost! Except i dont really have notes for my subjects apart from english, we all get the same set of notes for chem
What annoys me the most is that people ask you help with a question, but when you explain it to them they dont even listen to you i.e. they talk to their friend or something, like they just want to see your working or for you to write your answer. Then 10 mins later they come back expecting me to waste a further 5 mins.....

[Menang]

I feel your pain - it can get really conflicting sometimes!

My personal thoughts:
1. Your classmates are your competition in SACs, but your friends for the exam. Helping them for the exam can't hurt, only help.
2. Share ideas, but not the hard work. If it's something they can easily do themselves (and by easily I mean the thinking difficulty, not the time requirement) then you don't need to help them. Things like compiling quotes, writing notes and summaries etc are yours and if they want some they can write their own. Ideas, however, could be good to share. But this really only works for everyone's benefit if you're both giving and taking.

[ShortBlackChick]

I feel your pain - it can get really conflicting sometimes!

My personal thoughts:
1. Your classmates are your competition in SACs, but your friends for the exam. Helping them for the exam can't hurt, only help.
2. Share ideas, but not the hard work. If it's something they can easily do themselves (and by easily I mean the thinking difficulty, not the time requirement) then you don't need to help them. Things like compiling quotes, writing notes and summaries etc are yours and if they want some they can write their own. Ideas, however, could be good to share. But this really only works for everyone's benefit if you're both giving and taking.

But then again, if you giving other people your notes means that they might perform better, wouldnt that be beneficial in terms of strengthening your cohort? Wouldnt it be better for you in terms of pulling the level of your cohort up so that you could potentially get a better score than if your cohort were to pull you down?
Perhaps you should help those that need help, that are struggling and might affect the score you get.  Ghost seem smart, and from the way Ghost talks about his cohort, it doesnt sound like many of them would beat him in his final score, so there's no reason to worry about people beating him as a result of him giving people notes.

And, just to clarify, i thought it was spelt Dilemma?

[onur369]

Personally I would charge them too, or I would quite clearly tell them to fuck off if I dislike any.

[Reckoner]

I tend to try to help with specific questions people have, but NEVER give out my personal notes, resources etc. If they want them they can do them themselves. Like what Luken93 said, no point helping those who are just trying to use you.

[Jdog]

you do realise, helping your students means your sacs should get scaled more.

so help them. and who cares if youve put the effort in, by sharing that doesn't mean your effort is somehow reduced.

don't be a stinge with them,

[Lasercookie]

I would say that by not giving them all your notes etc, you would be helping them more.

Why? Because you'd be encouraging them to learn the stuff for themselves, in a way they can understand.

I don't think many people could decipher my notes - after all they are my notes that I've written and the address the areas in which I am weak and they explain things in the way that I think. It's better for everyone to have notes in which they can understand.

If they want general notes, they can use the textbook or online resources (or the teacher); my notes aren't going to help them. 

That said, I'm happy to explain stuff to people though.

[cyrus_atlantis]

Perhaps you can do an exchange thing. You won't feel as bothered if there's going to be a 'give and take' pricess going on. You could suggest something like splitting the work then work on the resources together or exchange notes with different subjects etc. Of course there'll be people who may not put in the effort but worth a try. If they ask you if you have this resources, you could then simultaneously ask if they have some notes on blah blah or if they're good in a subject, ask them if they can take some time to explain some concepts to u. If both parties are giving then it'll prove beneficial to everyday. This is the key to why atarnotes is such a generous community. ^^
Hope it'll help!

[nacho]

i go to a crap school and no one asks me for my notes
WIN
or maybe im stupid...
LOSS

[Cappuccinos]

I'm actually really surprised to hear people ask for a copy of your notes when you haven't offered to share… What nerve they have to copy someone’s hard work! I understand cross-checking notes, asking the occasional question etc, but copying, whoa, I'd feel really uncomfortable asking someone no matter how great their notes are. Haha.

Honestly, help those who you feel comfortable helping, or you feel truly deserve/need your help and stuff them if they're  "I don’t have to do my own notes because they I can get a copy of Ghost's notes. Yay!' kind of people.

Maybe you should ask them why they don't have their own notes, or why their own notes aren't sufficient. (In a nice way of course!) Maybe help them make their own if they're not sufficient, for example telling them the relevant pages from the text book, how to set notes out, what not to include etc if you feel more comfortable doing that, you're still being helpful, probably more so because they'll probably learn better writing their own notes.

How to reject nicely? Well with a white lie I think. Just say you left them at home, they're not yours, aren't finished, are illegible so on and so forth. If they get all angry, well their motives but may not be so genuine, so stuff them as well! Hahaha

But yeah, helping your cohort is pretty good idea, pretty worthwhile I believe, but doing the work for them instead of with them, well thats not so good not to mention unfair, and no one should ever be put in this position if they don't want to be, no matter how crappy the cohort is...

Yeah my two cents hahah