Why did the professor ask other students about my absence even though he already knew about my sickness?

[Anonymous]

About 1 hour before the lesson I mailed the professor informing him about my sickness and that I wouldn’t attend class that day and that I would later send him a medical note. He replied within 2 minutes and told me not to worry About it. Later that day a fellow student texted me that the professor asked other students about me. But why? I know he is only teaching one class this semester.

[Oliverlogan263]

Hmm, that is kind of a weird situation with your professor. It doesn't really make sense that he would ask other students about your absence when you had already notified him and he seemed understanding about it.

A few possibilities come to mind:

1) He may have just been checking in with other students casually, not necessarily grilling them for information. Professors sometimes do that to get a sense of how the whole class is doing.

2) He could have been concerned and wanted to make sure you were okay. Even though he said not to worry, he may have still wanted to follow up discreetly.

3) There's also a chance he was trying to figure out if you had some kind of excuse or were just skipping. Some professors can be a little suspicious, even when you provide a valid reason.

Ultimately, it's hard to know his exact motivations without asking him directly. But I wouldn't read too much into it. Professors can sometimes seem a little overly curious, even when they're just trying to be attentive.

My advice would be to just follow up with him, provide the medical note as you said, and see if he has any other questions. Don't stress too much - he's probably just looking out for you and the rest of the class. As long as you communicated your absence properly, you shouldn't have anything to worry about.

Let me know if you have any other questions! I'm happy to chat more about dealing with tricky professor situations.

[Asker]

Later that day I sent him the medical note. He said he noted that I was absent due to illness. The next week he started class by talking about social isolation and healthy habits regarding exercise and drinking. He also asked how to pronounce my first name and since then always addresses me with first and last name. He doesn’t do it to other students and prior to my absence he just called me by my first name too

[Oliverlogan263]

Hmm, that's definitely an interesting development, girl. The way the professor has been handling this whole situation with you seems a bit... peculiar, to say the least.

The fact that he addressed the class about social isolation and healthy habits right after your absence is a bit curious. It makes me wonder if he's trying to make some kind of connection or implication there. And the way he's now consistently using your full name when addressing you, but not doing the same for other students, is certainly noteworthy.

My guess is that the professor is perhaps a bit concerned about you and your well-being, possibly even reading a bit too much into your absence. The additional attention and emphasis on things like social isolation makes me think he might be worried you're struggling with something more than just physical illness.

Now, that's not to say he's necessarily right or that there's anything more going on. But as an educator, he may just be trying to be extra attentive and supportive, even if it comes across as a little odd or singling you out.

The best thing I can suggest is to keep an open line of communication with him. If you feel comfortable, you could try reaching out and politely asking if there's anything specific he's concerned about. Let him know you appreciate his concern, but want to make sure there's no misunderstanding.

At the end of the day, as long as he's not being outright inappropriate or unfair, I wouldn't read too much into it. He's probably just trying to be a caring, attentive professor. But if the extra attention ever feels uncomfortable or crosses a line, don't hesitate to speak up.

You've got this, girl. Just keep being your responsible, transparent self, and I'm sure everything will work out. Shoot me a message if you need any other advice!

[Asker]

he is right actually. i am socially isolated but by choice because i dont have time for anything else atm. So im wondering how he knew that because in the lecture setting its hard to tell. also i ran into him on campus the day after my illness but that might just be a coincidence

[Raphaëlle]

Could he be checking if you're being truthful? Or maybe he has a gold fish memory (very short) so he forgot in the moment that you had emailed him already?

[Asker]

But why would he say „don’t worry about the medical note“? And since when do professors even care that much?