How To Email A Professor About Being Sick

How to Email a Professor About Being Sick: A Guide to Professional Communication

Introduction:

Missing class due to illness is unavoidable sometimes. But navigating the delicate art of informing your professor requires tact and professionalism. This comprehensive guide will walk you through crafting the perfect email, ensuring you maintain a positive relationship with your professor while addressing your absence responsibly. We'll cover everything from crafting a concise subject line to choosing the right tone and providing necessary documentation (when appropriate). By following these steps, you can confidently communicate your illness and minimize any negative impact on your academic progress.


I. Before You Hit Send: Preparation is Key

Before even opening your email client, take a moment to gather the necessary information and consider the context. This preparation will ensure a smooth and efficient communication process.

Assess the situation: How serious is your illness? Will you miss one class, multiple classes, or an extended period? Understanding the scope of your absence will help you determine the level of detail needed in your email.
Check your syllabus: Review your syllabus to see if there's a specific policy regarding absences or notification procedures. Some professors might have preferred methods of communication or require documentation.
Gather supporting documents (if necessary): If your illness requires extended absence, consider attaching a doctor's note or other relevant documentation. This provides concrete evidence of your illness and may be required by your institution's policies.
Consider timing: While immediate notification is ideal, don't rush to compose an email if you're feeling unwell. Take the time to craft a clear and professional message. Sending an email late at night might convey a less professional image.

II. Crafting the Perfect Subject Line: Making a Strong First Impression

Your subject line is the first thing your professor will see, so make it count. Avoid vague or casual phrasing. Opt for a clear and concise subject line that immediately communicates the reason for your email. Here are some examples:

Absence from [Course Name] – [Your Name]
Illness – Unable to Attend Class on [Date(s)] – [Your Name]
Request for Absence – [Your Name] – [Course Name]

Avoid subject lines like: "sick," "feeling bad," or "missed class." These lack the professionalism required in academic communication.

III. Writing the Body of Your Email: Clarity, Conciseness, and Professionalism

The body of your email should be brief, polite, and to the point. Avoid unnecessary details about your symptoms.

Opening: Begin with a formal salutation: "Dear Professor [Professor's last name],"
Explanation: Clearly state that you are writing to inform them of your illness and inability to attend class on the specified date(s). Be specific about the class(es) you will miss.
Apology: Express a sincere apology for missing class and any inconvenience it may cause.
Action Plan (if applicable): If possible, briefly outline how you plan to catch up on missed material (e.g., checking with a classmate for notes, reviewing recordings).
Attachment (if applicable): If you have a doctor's note or other supporting documentation, mention it and attach it to the email.
Closing: End with a professional closing such as "Sincerely," or "Respectfully," followed by your full name and student ID number.

IV. Example Email:

Subject: Absence from Introduction to Psychology – John Doe

Dear Professor Smith,

I am writing to inform you that I will be unable to attend your Introduction to Psychology class on October 26th and 27th due to illness. I apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

I will reach out to a classmate to obtain notes from the lectures I missed and will review any relevant course materials online.

Thank you for your understanding.

Sincerely,

John Doe
Student ID: 1234567


V. Following Up: Maintaining Communication

If your absence is extended, follow up with your professor to let them know your expected return date. This proactive communication demonstrates responsibility and keeps your professor informed.


VI. What NOT to do:

Don't exaggerate your illness: Be honest and straightforward, but avoid overly dramatic descriptions of your symptoms.
Don't make excuses: A simple explanation of your illness is sufficient.
Don't ask for special treatment: Focus on informing your professor and outlining your plan to catch up on missed work.
Don't wait too long to email: Send the email as soon as you know you'll be absent.


VII. Conclusion:

Communicating your illness to your professor doesn't have to be stressful. By following these steps and maintaining a professional and responsible approach, you can effectively manage your absence and minimize its impact on your academic performance. Remember, clear, concise, and timely communication is key to maintaining a positive relationship with your professors.


Article Outline:

Title: How to Email a Professor About Being Sick

Introduction: Hook the reader, overview of the post.
Before You Hit Send: Preparation, assessing the situation, syllabus check, documentation.
Crafting the Perfect Subject Line: Examples of strong subject lines.
Writing the Email Body: Opening, explanation, apology, action plan, attachment, closing.
Example Email: A sample email demonstrating best practices.
Following Up: Importance of further communication for extended absences.
What NOT to do: Common mistakes to avoid.
Conclusion: Recap of key points, emphasis on professional communication.
FAQs: Addressing frequently asked questions.


Nine Unique FAQs:

1. What if my professor doesn't respond to my email?
2. Should I email multiple professors if I have multiple classes on the same day?
3. Can I email my professor about being sick the day of the class?
4. Is it necessary to provide a doctor’s note for a short absence?
5. What should I do if I'm too sick to even write an email?
6. How do I handle missing a major exam due to illness?
7. What if I miss a deadline due to illness?
8. Should I cc other students or the teaching assistant on my email?
9. My professor has a strict no-excuse policy. How should I proceed?


Nine Related Articles:

1. How to Write a Professional Email to a Professor: This article will provide a comprehensive guide to writing professional emails to professors, regardless of the subject matter.
2. How to Handle Missing Class Due to Personal Emergencies: This article will provide guidance on how to communicate various personal emergencies to professors.
3. University Policies on Absences and Missed Assignments: This article will provide insights into various university policies regarding excused and unexcused absences.
4. Strategies for Catching Up on Missed Classwork: This article offers techniques for efficiently catching up on missed coursework after an absence.
5. The Importance of Good Communication with Professors: This article discusses the benefits of maintaining good relationships with professors.
6. Understanding University Attendance Policies: This article will delve into the nuances of university attendance policies and their implications.
7. How to Request an Extension on an Assignment: This article will provide a step-by-step guide on requesting assignment extensions.
8. Student Mental Health Resources and Support: This article provides links and information on mental health resources available to students.
9. Time Management Tips for College Students: This article focuses on time management skills to help students stay organized and manage their workload effectively.


  how to email a professor about being sick: The Professor Is In Karen Kelsky, 2015-08-04 The definitive career guide for grad students, adjuncts, post-docs and anyone else eager to get tenure or turn their Ph.D. into their ideal job Each year tens of thousands of students will, after years of hard work and enormous amounts of money, earn their Ph.D. And each year only a small percentage of them will land a job that justifies and rewards their investment. For every comfortably tenured professor or well-paid former academic, there are countless underpaid and overworked adjuncts, and many more who simply give up in frustration. Those who do make it share an important asset that separates them from the pack: they have a plan. They understand exactly what they need to do to set themselves up for success. They know what really moves the needle in academic job searches, how to avoid the all-too-common mistakes that sink so many of their peers, and how to decide when to point their Ph.D. toward other, non-academic options. Karen Kelsky has made it her mission to help readers join the select few who get the most out of their Ph.D. As a former tenured professor and department head who oversaw numerous academic job searches, she knows from experience exactly what gets an academic applicant a job. And as the creator of the popular and widely respected advice site The Professor is In, she has helped countless Ph.D.’s turn themselves into stronger applicants and land their dream careers. Now, for the first time ever, Karen has poured all her best advice into a single handy guide that addresses the most important issues facing any Ph.D., including: -When, where, and what to publish -Writing a foolproof grant application -Cultivating references and crafting the perfect CV -Acing the job talk and campus interview -Avoiding the adjunct trap -Making the leap to nonacademic work, when the time is right The Professor Is In addresses all of these issues, and many more.
  how to email a professor about being sick: The Last Lecture Randy Pausch, Jeffrey Zaslow, 2010 The author, a computer science professor diagnosed with terminal cancer, explores his life, the lessons that he has learned, how he has worked to achieve his childhood dreams, and the effect of his diagnosis on him and his family.
  how to email a professor about being sick: Ask a Manager Alison Green, 2018-05-01 From the creator of the popular website Ask a Manager and New York’s work-advice columnist comes a witty, practical guide to 200 difficult professional conversations—featuring all-new advice! There’s a reason Alison Green has been called “the Dear Abby of the work world.” Ten years as a workplace-advice columnist have taught her that people avoid awkward conversations in the office because they simply don’t know what to say. Thankfully, Green does—and in this incredibly helpful book, she tackles the tough discussions you may need to have during your career. You’ll learn what to say when • coworkers push their work on you—then take credit for it • you accidentally trash-talk someone in an email then hit “reply all” • you’re being micromanaged—or not being managed at all • you catch a colleague in a lie • your boss seems unhappy with your work • your cubemate’s loud speakerphone is making you homicidal • you got drunk at the holiday party Praise for Ask a Manager “A must-read for anyone who works . . . [Alison Green’s] advice boils down to the idea that you should be professional (even when others are not) and that communicating in a straightforward manner with candor and kindness will get you far, no matter where you work.”—Booklist (starred review) “The author’s friendly, warm, no-nonsense writing is a pleasure to read, and her advice can be widely applied to relationships in all areas of readers’ lives. Ideal for anyone new to the job market or new to management, or anyone hoping to improve their work experience.”—Library Journal (starred review) “I am a huge fan of Alison Green’s Ask a Manager column. This book is even better. It teaches us how to deal with many of the most vexing big and little problems in our workplaces—and to do so with grace, confidence, and a sense of humor.”—Robert Sutton, Stanford professor and author of The No Asshole Rule and The Asshole Survival Guide “Ask a Manager is the ultimate playbook for navigating the traditional workforce in a diplomatic but firm way.”—Erin Lowry, author of Broke Millennial: Stop Scraping By and Get Your Financial Life Together
  how to email a professor about being sick: Hey, Professor Robert Eidelberg, 2020-07-14 Hey, Professor / Email Received From Michael Two Weeks Into Our Distance-Learning Course I hope this email finds you well. Thank you for reaching out and expressing your concern. This transition has been a little of a challenge for me. I’ve been trying to adjust to feeling a lot more anxiety after being laid off from my job as a waiter and getting used to spending much more time at home, where I live with my brother, his wife, and their (quite rambunctious) three-year-old son. I am used to being able to do my coursework in the library or at cafes and I am still adjusting to having to do the majority of my work at home. As a result, I have fallen a little behind in my coursework. Hey, Professor / Email Received From Patrick Five Weeks Into Our Distance-Learning Course Unfortunately the course assignments I completed for this session of distance learning are on my work computer. I have to go in to pick up some belongings, anyway, so I’ll send the assignments by then. Sorry for the delay; my mom got sick and she’s immunocompromised, so it has been a rough couple of days. I appreciate how accommodating you have been to our class in this trying time. The reading and thinking assignments you’ve created to make up the distance learning half of our course have both been a light in this time. I hope that reading our completed assignments brings you a similar light. Hello Professor Eidelberg / Email Received From Christina Six Weeks Into Our Distance-Learning Course I know that this is a lot to just unload in an email but I felt that I wanted you to understand why I have not been able to get to my work as productively as I’d like to ideally, as well as confide in you about my current mental and physical health. I have been sluggish, tired, unmotivated, lethargic, and plain struggling to do many tasks beyond existing from moment to moment. I am trying to research more resources for therapy, as I have neglected this for a few months... Dear Professor Eidelberg / Email Received From Shanya After Seven Weeks of Distance-Learning Ends I’m glad to hear you have been doing well and keeping busy since our course ended. My family is doing great; we’ve been using this time to share some of our passions — one of mine, as you know, being writing — and the reception has been amazing. I can’t wait to read and re-read our course’s book on “Some Day: The Literature of Waiting.” Also, I have recommended your other Hunter College humanities course, The Teacher and Student in Literature, to many friends — but ironically, also recommended that they wait a semester if forced to take the class online. Your courses are simply too magical to be minimized.
  how to email a professor about being sick: Why We Get Sick Benjamin Bikman, 2020-07-21 A scientist reveals the groundbreaking evidence linking many major diseases, including cancer, diabetes, and Alzheimer's disease, to a common root cause—insulin resistance—and shares an easy, effective plan to reverse and prevent it. We are sick. Around the world, we struggle with diseases that were once considered rare. Cancer, heart disease, Alzheimer's disease, and diabetes affect millions each year; many people are also struggling with hypertension, weight gain, fatty liver, dementia, low testosterone, menstrual irregularities and infertility, and more. We treat the symptoms, not realizing that all of these diseases and disorders have something in common. Each of them is caused or made worse by a condition known as insulin resistance. And you might have it. Odds are you do—over half of all adults in the United States are insulin resistant, with most other countries either worse or not far behind. In Why We Get Sick, internationally renowned scientist and pathophysiology professor Benjamin Bikman explores why insulin resistance has become so prevalent and why it matters. Unless we recognize it and take steps to reverse the trend, major chronic diseases will be even more widespread. But reversing insulin resistance is possible, and Bikman offers an evidence-based plan to stop and prevent it, with helpful food lists, meal suggestions, easy exercise principles, and more. Full of surprising research and practical advice, Why We Get Sick will help you to take control of your health.
  how to email a professor about being sick: The Book Proposal Book Laura Portwood-Stacer, 2021-07-13 A step-by-step guide to crafting a compelling scholarly book proposal—and seeing your book through to successful publication The scholarly book proposal may be academia’s most mysterious genre. You have to write one to get published, but most scholars receive no training on how to do so—and you may have never even seen a proposal before you’re expected to produce your own. The Book Proposal Book cuts through the mystery and guides prospective authors step by step through the process of crafting a compelling proposal and pitching it to university presses and other academic publishers. Laura Portwood-Stacer, an experienced developmental editor and publishing consultant for academic authors, shows how to select the right presses to target, identify audiences and competing titles, and write a project description that will grab the attention of editors—breaking the entire process into discrete, manageable tasks. The book features over fifty time-tested tips to make your proposal stand out; sample prospectuses, a letter of inquiry, and a response to reader reports from real authors; optional worksheets and checklists; answers to dozens of the most common questions about the scholarly publishing process; and much, much more. Whether you’re hoping to publish your first book or you’re a seasoned author with an unfinished proposal languishing on your hard drive, The Book Proposal Book provides honest, empathetic, and invaluable advice on how to overcome common sticking points and get your book published. It also shows why, far from being merely a hurdle to clear, a well-conceived proposal can help lead to an outstanding book.
  how to email a professor about being sick: Sick Souls, Healthy Minds John Kaag, 2020-03-17 James believed that philosophy was meant to articulate, and help answer, a single existential question, one which lent itself to the title of one of his most famous essays: Is life worth living? Through examination of an array of existentially loaded topics covered in his works-truth, God, evil, suffering, death, and the meaning of life-James concluded that it is up to us to make life worth living. He said that our beliefs, the truths that guide our lives, matter-their value and veracity turn on the way they play out practically for ourselves and our communities. For James, philosophy was about making life meaningful, and for some of us, liveable. This is the core of his pragmatic maxim, that truth should be judged on the bases of its practical consequences. Kaag shows how James put this maxim into use in his philosophy and his life and how we can do so in our own. .
  how to email a professor about being sick: The Red-Hot Stakes Maren Jenner, 2024-05-28 FROM EXCITING ROMANCE AUTHOR MAREN JENNER Book three in the Sweet Nothings series Gina Rossi is always up for a good bet, until she is gambling with her heart. Gina' s one dream is to buy her own bar and run it the way she wants. But until she finishes her business degree, she is stuck working at The High Five, listening to bad karaoke and serving bland chili. When the annoyingly handsome Liam Davenport decides to become a regular patron, Gina couldn' t be more frustrated. Sure he tips well, but he pushes all her buttons. The only time she can stand him is when he sings karaoke, and she loses herself in his velvet voice. The last thing Gina expects is to fall for the brash, arrogant man, but he slowly wins her over. Soon she can' t imagine being with anyone else. When a mysterious blackmailer threatens to tear apart their new life together, she has to gamble with the highest stakes of her life. Her heart.
  how to email a professor about being sick: The Soul of Care Arthur Kleinman, 2019-09-17 A moving memoir and an extraordinary love story that shows how an expert physician became a family caregiver and learned why care is so central to all our lives and yet is at risk in today's world. When Dr. Arthur Kleinman, an eminent Harvard psychiatrist and social anthropologist, began caring for his wife, Joan, after she was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's disease, he found just how far the act of caregiving extended beyond the boundaries of medicine. In The Soul of Care: The Moral Education of a Husband and a Doctor, Kleinman delivers a deeply humane and inspiring story of his life in medicine and his marriage to Joan, and he describes the practical, emotional and moral aspects of caretaking. He also writes about the problems our society faces as medical technology advances and the cost of health care soars but caring for patients no longer seems important. Caregiving is long, hard, unglamorous work--at moments joyous, more often tedious, sometimes agonizing, but it is always rich in meaning. In the face of our current political indifference and the challenge to the health care system, he emphasizes how we must ask uncomfortable questions of ourselves, and of our doctors. To give care, to be present for someone who needs us, and to feel and show kindness are deep emotional and moral experiences, enactments of our core values. The practice of caregiving teaches us what is most important in life, and reveals the very heart of what it is to be human.
  how to email a professor about being sick: Why We Sleep Matthew Walker, 2017-10-03 Sleep is one of the most important but least understood aspects of our life, wellness, and longevity ... An explosion of scientific discoveries in the last twenty years has shed new light on this fundamental aspect of our lives. Now ... neuroscientist and sleep expert Matthew Walker gives us a new understanding of the vital importance of sleep and dreaming--Amazon.com.
  how to email a professor about being sick: How to Be Sick Toni Bernhard, 2010-05-10 This life-affirming, instructive, and thoroughly inspiring book is a must-read for anyone who is - or who might one day be - sick. It can also be the perfect gift of guidance, encouragement, and uplifting inspiration to family, friends, and loved ones struggling with the many terrifying or disheartening life changes that come so close on the heels of a diagnosis of a chronic condition or life-threatening illness. Authentic and graceful, How to be Sick reminds us of our limitless inner freedom, even under high degrees of suffering and pain. The author - who became ill while a university law professor in the prime of her career - tells the reader how she got sick and, to her and her partner's bewilderment, stayed that way. Toni had been a longtime meditator, going on long meditation retreats and spending many hours rigorously practicing, but soon discovered that she simply could no longer engage in those difficult and taxing forms. She had to learn ways to make being sick the heart of her spiritual practice - and through truly learning how to be sick, she learned how, even with many physical and energetic limitations, to live a life of equanimity, compassion, and joy. And whether we ourselves are ill or not, we can learn these vital arts from Bernhard's generous wisdom in How to Be Sick.
  how to email a professor about being sick: I Love Jesus, But I Want to Die Sarah J. Robinson, 2021-05-11 A compassionate, shame-free guide for your darkest days “A one-of-a-kind book . . . to read for yourself or give to a struggling friend or loved one without the fear that depression and suicidal thoughts will be minimized, medicalized or over-spiritualized.”—Kay Warren, cofounder of Saddleback Church What happens when loving Jesus doesn’t cure you of depression, anxiety, or suicidal thoughts? You might be crushed by shame over your mental illness, only to be told by well-meaning Christians to “choose joy” and “pray more.” So you beg God to take away the pain, but nothing eases the ache inside. As darkness lingers and color drains from your world, you’re left wondering if God has abandoned you. You just want a way out. But there’s hope. In I Love Jesus, But I Want to Die, Sarah J. Robinson offers a healthy, practical, and shame-free guide for Christians struggling with mental illness. With unflinching honesty, Sarah shares her story of battling depression and fighting to stay alive despite toxic theology that made her afraid to seek help outside the church. Pairing her own story with scriptural insights, mental health research, and simple practices, Sarah helps you reconnect with the God who is present in our deepest anguish and discover that you are worth everything it takes to get better. Beautifully written and full of hard-won wisdom, I Love Jesus, But I Want to Die offers a path toward a rich, hope-filled life in Christ, even when healing doesn’t look like what you expect.
  how to email a professor about being sick: Grown and Flown Lisa Heffernan, Mary Dell Harrington, 2019-09-03 PARENTING NEVER ENDS. From the founders of the #1 site for parents of teens and young adults comes an essential guide for building strong relationships with your teens and preparing them to successfully launch into adulthood The high school and college years: an extended roller coaster of academics, friends, first loves, first break-ups, driver’s ed, jobs, and everything in between. Kids are constantly changing and how we parent them must change, too. But how do we stay close as a family as our lives move apart? Enter the co-founders of Grown and Flown, Lisa Heffernan and Mary Dell Harrington. In the midst of guiding their own kids through this transition, they launched what has become the largest website and online community for parents of fifteen to twenty-five year olds. Now they’ve compiled new takeaways and fresh insights from all that they’ve learned into this handy, must-have guide. Grown and Flown is a one-stop resource for parenting teenagers, leading up to—and through—high school and those first years of independence. It covers everything from the monumental (how to let your kids go) to the mundane (how to shop for a dorm room). Organized by topic—such as academics, anxiety and mental health, college life—it features a combination of stories, advice from professionals, and practical sidebars. Consider this your parenting lifeline: an easy-to-use manual that offers support and perspective. Grown and Flown is required reading for anyone looking to raise an adult with whom you have an enduring, profound connection.
  how to email a professor about being sick: Finding the Mother Tree Suzanne Simard, 2021-05-04 INSTANT NATIONAL BESTSELLER NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER *WINNER of the 2021 Banff Mountain Book Prize in Mountain Environment and Natural History* *WINNER of the National Outdoor Book Award for Natural History Literature* *SHORTLISTED for the 2022 BC and Yukon Hubert Evans Non-Fiction Book Prize* *SHORTLISTED for the 2022 BC and Yukon Bill Duthie Booksellers’ Choice Award* *SHORTLISTED for the 2021 Science Writers and Communicators of Canada Book Award* A world-leading expert shares her amazing story of discovering the communication that exists between trees, and shares her own story of family and grief. Suzanne Simard is a pioneer on the frontier of plant communication and intelligence; she’s been compared to Rachel Carson, hailed as a scientist who conveys complex, technical ideas in a way that is dazzling and profound. Her work has influenced filmmakers (the Tree of Souls in James Cameron’s Avatar), and her TED talks have been viewed by more than 10 million people worldwide. Now, in her first book, Simard brings us into her world, the intimate world of the trees, in which she brilliantly illuminates the fascinating and vital truths—that trees are not simply the source of timber or pulp but are a complicated, interdependent circle of life; that forests are social, cooperative creatures connected through underground networks by which trees communicate their vitality and vulnerabilities with communal lives not that different from our own. Simard describes up close—in revealing and accessible ways—how trees, living side by side for hundreds of years, have evolved; how they perceive one another, learn and adapt their behaviors, recognize neighbors, and remember the past; how they have agency about their future; how they elicit warnings and mount defenses, compete and cooperate with one another with sophistication: characteristics previously ascribed to human intelligence, traits that are the essence of civil societies. And, at the center of it all, the Mother Trees: the mysterious, powerful forces that connect and sustain the others that surround them.Simard, born and raised in the rain forests of British Columbia, spent her days as a child cataloging the trees from the forest; she came to love and respect them and embarked on a journey of discovery and struggle. Her powerful story is one of love and loss, of observation and change, of risk and reward. And it is a testament to how deeply human scientific inquiry exists beyond data and technology: it’s about understanding who we are and our place in the world. In her book, as in her groundbreaking research, Simard proves the true connectedness of the Mother Tree to the forest, nurturing it in the profound ways that families and humansocieties nurture one another, and how these inseparable bonds enable all our survival.
  how to email a professor about being sick: SickKids David Wright, The Hospital for Sick Kids, 2017-01-06 Toronto's Hospital for Sick Children is the most famous medical institution in Canada. In addition to being the largest pediatric centre in North America, it has earned an international reputation for clinical care and research that has influenced generations of health care practitioners across the country and around the world. In a very real sense, hospital staff have touched the lives of tens of thousands of children and their families. SickKids has an equally remarkable history - from its humble origins in rented houses in Victorian Toronto, the Hospital would flourish to become an influential paediatric institution, pioneering Pasteurization, the Iron Lung for Polio, Pablum, the Mustard Procedure for 'Blue Babies', and the discovery of the gene for Cystic Fibrosis. It would also be the site of two of most famous medical controversies in modern Canadian history -- the suspected murder of two dozen babies in the early 1980s and, more recently, the whistle-blowing controversy involving the research scientist, Nancy Olivieri. David Wright’s History of The Hospital for Sick Children chronicles this remarkable history of the SickKids, including its triumphs and tragedies, its discoveries and dead-ends. In doing so, Wright has crafted a compelling and accessible history of SickKids that anchors Toronto's children's hospital within the broader changes affecting Canadian society and medical practice over the last century.
  how to email a professor about being sick: Why Startups Fail Tom Eisenmann, 2021-03-30 If you want your startup to succeed, you need to understand why startups fail. “Whether you’re a first-time founder or looking to bring innovation into a corporate environment, Why Startups Fail is essential reading.”—Eric Ries, founder and CEO, LTSE, and New York Times bestselling author of The Lean Startup and The Startup Way Why do startups fail? That question caught Harvard Business School professor Tom Eisenmann by surprise when he realized he couldn’t answer it. So he launched a multiyear research project to find out. In Why Startups Fail, Eisenmann reveals his findings: six distinct patterns that account for the vast majority of startup failures. • Bad Bedfellows. Startup success is thought to rest largely on the founder’s talents and instincts. But the wrong team, investors, or partners can sink a venture just as quickly. • False Starts. In following the oft-cited advice to “fail fast” and to “launch before you’re ready,” founders risk wasting time and capital on the wrong solutions. • False Promises. Success with early adopters can be misleading and give founders unwarranted confidence to expand. • Speed Traps. Despite the pressure to “get big fast,” hypergrowth can spell disaster for even the most promising ventures. • Help Wanted. Rapidly scaling startups need lots of capital and talent, but they can make mistakes that leave them suddenly in short supply of both. • Cascading Miracles. Silicon Valley exhorts entrepreneurs to dream big. But the bigger the vision, the more things that can go wrong. Drawing on fascinating stories of ventures that failed to fulfill their early promise—from a home-furnishings retailer to a concierge dog-walking service, from a dating app to the inventor of a sophisticated social robot, from a fashion brand to a startup deploying a vast network of charging stations for electric vehicles—Eisenmann offers frameworks for detecting when a venture is vulnerable to these patterns, along with a wealth of strategies and tactics for avoiding them. A must-read for founders at any stage of their entrepreneurial journey, Why Startups Fail is not merely a guide to preventing failure but also a roadmap charting the path to startup success.
  how to email a professor about being sick: Sick Building Syndrome and the Problem of Uncertainty Claudette Michelle Murphy, 2006-02-22 DIVAn account of sick building syndrome and the large number of historical conditions--office worker protests, feminism, ventilation engineering, toxicology, etc.--that coalesced to give this phenomenon real existence./div
  how to email a professor about being sick: Super Thinking Gabriel Weinberg, Lauren McCann, 2019-06-18 A WALL STREET JOURNAL BESTSELLER! You can't really know anything if you just remember isolated facts. If the facts don't hang together on a latticework of theory, you don't have them in a usable form. You've got to have models in your head. - Charlie Munger, investor, vice chairman of Berkshire Hathaway The world's greatest problem-solvers, forecasters, and decision-makers all rely on a set of frameworks and shortcuts that help them cut through complexity and separate good ideas from bad ones. They're called mental models, and you can find them in dense textbooks on psychology, physics, economics, and more. Or, you can just read Super Thinking, a fun, illustrated guide to every mental model you could possibly need. How can mental models help you? Well, here are just a few examples... • If you've ever been overwhelmed by a to-do list that's grown too long, maybe you need the Eisenhower Decision Matrix to help you prioritize. • Use the 5 Whys model to better understand people's motivations or get to the root cause of a problem. • Before concluding that your colleague who messes up your projects is out to sabotage you, consider Hanlon's Razor for an alternative explanation. • Ever sat through a bad movie just because you paid a lot for the ticket? You might be falling prey to Sunk Cost Fallacy. • Set up Forcing Functions, like standing meeting or deadlines, to help grease the wheels for changes you want to occur. So, the next time you find yourself faced with a difficult decision or just trying to understand a complex situation, let Super Thinking upgrade your brain with mental models.
  how to email a professor about being sick: Ill Humour Philip Glennie, 2013-02-01 Spanning over fifty years, Ill Humour follows Dr. Anna Mercer as she struggles to treat a patient named Adam Renfrew, whose sickness makes no sense within the terms of modern medical knowledge. But a chance encounter brings Anna into the company of Donald Firkin, a divorced English professor who soon discovers that Anna's patient makes all too much sense, just not according to modern science. Through a series of manipulations, Firkin convinces Anna that her patient's internal organs have travelled backward through medical history, taking on the properties of the four humours of medieval science. What ensues is a sometimes wry, sometimes passionate story of blackmail, family, and romance. And time-travelling organs.
  how to email a professor about being sick: The Diving Pool Yoko Ogawa, 2008-01-22 The first major English translation of one of contemporary Japan's bestselling and most celebrated authors From Akutagawa Award-winning author Yoko Ogawa comes a haunting trio of novellas about love, fertility, obsession, and how even the most innocent gestures may contain a hairline crack of cruel intent. A lonely teenage girl falls in love with her foster brother as she watches him leap from a high diving board into a pool--a peculiar infatuation that sends unexpected ripples through her life. A young woman records the daily moods of her pregnant sister in a diary, taking meticulous note of a pregnancy that may or may not be a hallucination--but whose hallucination is it, hers or her sister's? A woman nostalgically visits her old college dormitory on the outskirts of Tokyo, a boarding house run by a mysterious triple amputee with one leg. Hauntingly spare, beautiful, and twisted, The Diving Pool is a disquieting and at times darkly humorous collection of novellas about normal people who suddenly discover their own dark possibilities.
  how to email a professor about being sick: When Breath Becomes Air (Indonesian Edition) Paul Kalanithi, 2016-10-06 Pada usia ketiga puluh enam, Paul Kalanithi merasa suratan nasibnya berjalan dengan begitu sempurna. Paul hampir saja menyelesaikan masa pelatihan luar biasa panjangnya sebagai ahli bedah saraf selama sepuluh tahun. Beberapa rumah sakit dan universitas ternama telah menawari posisi penting yang diimpikannya selama ini. Penghargaan nasional pun telah diraihnya. Dan kini, Paul hendak kembali menata ikatan pernikahannya yang merenggang, memenuhi peran sebagai sosok suami yang ia janjikan. Akan tetapi, secara tiba-tiba, kanker mencengkeram paru-parunya, melumpuhkan organ-organ penting dalam tubuhnya. Seluruh masa depan yang direncanakan Paul seketika menguap. Pada satu hari ia adalah seorang dokter yang menangani orang-orang yang sekarat, tetapi pada hari berikutnya, ia adalah pasien yang mencoba bertahan hidup. Apa yang membuat hidup berharga dan bermakna, mengingat semua akan sirna pada akhirnya? Apa yang Anda lakukan saat masa depan tak lagi menuntun pada cita-cita yang diidamkan, melainkan pada masa kini yang tanpa akhir? Apa artinya memiliki anak, merawat kehidupan baru saat kehidupan lain meredup? When Breath Becomes Air akan membawa kita bergelut pada pertanyaan-pertanyaan penting tentang hidup dan seberapa layak kita diberi pilihan untuk menjalani kehidupan. [Mizan, Bentang Pustaka, Memoar, Biografi, Kisah, Medis, Terjemahan, Indonesia]
  how to email a professor about being sick: Business Writing Today Natalie Canavor, 2022-10-21 Business Writing Today: A Practical Guide, Fourth Edition prepares students for success in the business world by giving them the tools they need to write powerfully, no matter the situation. In this highly practical text, author Natalie Canavor shares step-by-step guidance and tips for writing more clearly and strategically. Readers will learn what to say and how to say it in any medium from tweets and emails to proposals and formal reports. Every technique comes with concrete examples and practice opportunities, helping students transfer their writing skills to the workplace.
  how to email a professor about being sick: Kickstarting Your Academic Career Robert L. Ostergard, Jr., Stacy B. Fisher, 2017-02-10 Kickstarting Your Academic Career is a primer on the common scholastic demands that social sciences students face upon entering college or university. Based on the challenges that instructors most often find students need help with, the authors offer practical advice and tips on topics such as how to communicate with instructors, take notes, read a textbook, research and write papers, and write successful exams. The succinct writing and clear organization make this an essential reference for first-year students as they encounter post-secondary work for the first time, and a useful refresher for upper-year students looking to refine their skills.
  how to email a professor about being sick: The Illness Narratives Arthur Kleinman, 2020-10-13 From one of America's most celebrated psychiatrists, the book that has taught generations of healers why healing the sick is about more than just diagnosing their illness. Modern medicine treats sick patients like broken machines -- figure out what is physically wrong, fix it, and send the patient on their way. But humans are not machines. When we are ill, we experience our illness: we become scared, distressed, tired, weary. Our illnesses are not just biological conditions, but human ones. It was Arthur Kleinman, a Harvard psychiatrist and anthropologist, who saw this truth when most of his fellow doctors did not. Based on decades of clinical experience studying and treating chronic illness, The Illness Narratives makes a case for interpreting the illness experience of patients as a core feature of doctoring. Before Being Mortal, there was The Illness Narratives. It remains today a prescient and passionate case for bridging the gap between patient and practitioner.
  how to email a professor about being sick: When the Professor Got Stuck in the Snow Dan Rhodes, 2015-09-25 Described as 'a zippy little farce' by The Guardian, When the Professor Got Stuck in the Snow is a laugh-out-loud satire on dogma. ‘A farce that spins like a carousel' Sunday Herald Everybody at the Women’s Institute in the village of Upper Bottom is eagerly awaiting the arrival of a very special guest speaker: the world famous evolutionary biologist Professor Richard Dawkins. But with a blizzard setting in, their visitor finds himself trapped in the nearby town of Market Horten, with no choice but to take lodgings with the local Anglican vicar. Will the professor be able to abide by his motto – cordiality always – while surrounded by Christians? Will he ever reach Upper Bottom? And can his assistant, Smee, save the day?
  how to email a professor about being sick: How Universities Work John V. Lombardi, 2013-11-15 With wit and insight, John Lombardi offers us the single best description of how universities work. This book is destined to be an essential handbook for anyone working or hoping to work in a university. It gives readers an insider's view of the American academy. How Universities Work introduces readers to the structure, logic, dynamics, and operational styles of America's public and private institutions of higher education. The author identifies all the bits and pieces that compose a university in contemporary America: defines them; describes them; and does it all with remarkable economy so that you come away from this slim volume knowing more than you had any reason to anticipate. While focused on research universities, much of the discussion applies to many other types of post-secondary institutions as the premier public and private research universities serve as models for other colleges and universities. Ideal for students, this book will form a solid foundation for introductory courses in Higher Education, but it may also find a welcome home on the bedside table of faculty and administrators--
  how to email a professor about being sick: How to Wake Up Toni Bernhard, 2013-08-19 Intimately and without jargon, How to Wake Up: A Buddhist-Inspired Guide to Navigating Joy and Sorrow describes the path to peace amid all of life's ups and downs. Using step by step instructions, the author illustrates how to be fully present in the moment without clinging to joy or resisting sorrow. This opens the door to a kind of wellness that goes beyond circumstances. Actively engaging life as it is in this fashion holds the potential for awakening to a peace and well-being that are not dependent on whether a particular experience is joyful or sorrowful. This is a practical book, containing dozens of exercises and practices, all of which are illustrated with easy-to-relate to personal stories from the author's experience.
  how to email a professor about being sick: Healthy Buildings JOSEPH G. ALLEN, 2022-10-18 Buildings can make us sick or keep us well. Diseases and toxins course through indoor spaces, making us ill. Meanwhile, better air quality and light levels improve productivity. At a time when the COVID-19 pandemic has us focused more than ever on indoor air quality, Healthy Buildings shows how much we have to gain from human-centered design.
  how to email a professor about being sick: Becoming a Successful Community College Professor Ross A. Seligman, Adriane S. Mozzini, 2024-08-01 Designed to mentor aspiring and current faculty, Becoming a Successful Community College Professor analyzes the ways in which the current institution of community colleges affects both staff and students, and presents strategies for effectively navigating the community college professor role from the point of job search to tenure status. With emphasis on key elements such as getting hired, class preparation, student needs, college policies and culture, and an abundance more, this book focuses on training professors to successfully overcome the challenges that the current academic climate presents. Through the inclusion of interview vignettes with faculty across the United States, this book represents a wide range of disciplines and closely examines socioeconomic classes, racial and ethnic identities, gender and sexuality, and the varying faculty positions within the community college. Coverage also consists of syllabi creation, assessment and grading, faculty mentoring, problem-solving in the classroom, and the nuances of online learning. Intended for graduate students and existing faculty, this book will provide insight into what community college professorship entails through discussions of equity and engagement, as well as offer valuable tips for keeping up with the field as it continually evolves.
  how to email a professor about being sick: Case Studies for the New Professor Thomas D. Cox, 2014-08-01 For many academics preparing to enter into the world of teaching and scholarly work in higher education institutions, formal graduate education provides discipline specific content. However, there is a practical side of academic preparation that goes unaddressed. The overall objective of Case Studies for the New Professor: Surviving the Jungle of the Academy is to provide case studies (“what if” scenarios) that augment the discipline specific content of those preparing to become professors. The significance of this volume lies in its usefulness as a “go to” book that addresses situations, contexts, and examples of issues that new professors or administrators in higher education face. The case studies focus on issues that professors may face with students, colleagues, administrators, and other constituencies with whom they may have contact. This “case studies” approach is significant also in that each one pays special attention to providing a complete narrative to the extent that it is the eyes and ears for an outside reader to understand what happened in that situation. Each case is followed by reflective and analytical questions for readers to begin shaping their own professional responses and reactions in order to cultivate understanding and decision making skills which will result in positive and productive experiences.
  how to email a professor about being sick: Too Hot to Touch Katy James, 2022-07-12 A messy PhD student and a hockey playboy fall for one another in this forbidden love sports romance. He’s spent a lifetime putting up walls to protect himself, but he never expected one woman to break them all down… Between working multiple jobs and tackling her dissertation, it's hardly unexpected PhD student Murray Silva is a hot mess. What is unexpected? Tyler Valentine. When the hockey playboy and former—okay, current—crush shows up in her summer school class, he immediately becomes the kind of distraction she doesn’t need. Want, however? That’s a whole other story. Tyler Valentine understands pressure. He’s faced it his entire career. Now that he’s getting older, the pressure to figure out life after hockey brings him back to the classroom. And back into Murray Silva’s life. The fact that she’s his teacher and his team captain’s sister—thus strictly off-limits—doesn’t stop him from following his heart. Even though the last time he did that, it almost destroyed him. As their relationship heats up, a real shot at a future together seems possible…but only if Tyler can face down his past, head-to-head, and Murray can learn how to open her heart to love again—no matter how unexpected. Firebirds Book 1: Too Much Man Book 2: Too Hot to Touch
  how to email a professor about being sick: The Happy Vegan Russell Simmons, Chris Morrow, 2015-11-03 Master entrepreneur, original hip-hop mogul, and three-time New York Times bestselling author Russell Simmons offers an inspiring guide to the benefits of conscious eating and veganism In the New York Times bestseller Success Through Stillness, Russell Simmons shared how meditation can be used as a powerful tool to access potential in all aspects of life, having seen himself how achieving inner peace led to outward success. In The Happy Vegan, Simmons shares how once he started practicing yoga and meditation, he became more conscious of his choices, particularly the choices he made regarding his diet. Simmons first adopted a vegetarian and then vegan diet, and almost immediately began to experience the physical, mental, and emotional benefits of eating green and clean. He delves into research about mindful eating, the links between stress and poor eating habits, the importance of listening to your body, the well-documented problems associated with eating animal products and processed foods, along with tips on how to transition to a vegan diet. Drawing on his own experience, the experiences of others, and science and research on the health benefits of conscious eating and veganism, The Happy Vegan is an accessible and inspiring guide to help others make the move toward a vegan diet and a more successful, focused, and purposeful life.
  how to email a professor about being sick: Teaching College Norman Eng, 2017-01-15
  how to email a professor about being sick: Lori Tondini, 2009-06-01 Are you sick all the time? Do you have recurring infections, fibromyalgia, acid reflux, chronic fatigue syndrome, migraine headaches, asthma, allergies, or ongoing digestive problems, such as IBS? Have you been diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, MS, ALS, or cancer? Maybe you have difficulty concentrating, memory loss, depression, or insomnia. Are you always going to the doctor, for various and ongoing ailments? Maybe you need to look at your environment as the possible culprit. Maybe you are moldy, like me. Read how exposure to indoor toxic mold and mycotoxins has affected my health and my life, and how mold could also be affecting you. Find out the signs and symptoms of mold illness, and effective clinical ways to test for it. Check out a new, highly effective, and safe technology in mold remediation. Read interviews from three mold experts. Don't be one of the 500,000 in the US who die from mold-induced illness each year. Stay safe. Stay mold-free. Are you moldy?
  how to email a professor about being sick: Consent Donna Freitas, 2019-08-13 In this compelling and disturbing true story, a young woman's toxic mentor develops a dark, stalking obsession that disrupts her career -- and her peace of mind. (Rebecca Traister,New York Times bestselling author of Good and Mad) Donna Freitas has lived two lives. In one life, she is a well-published author and respected scholar who has traveled around the country speaking about Title IX, consent, religion, and sex on college campuses. In the other, she is a victim, a woman who suffered and suffers still because she was stalked by her graduate professor for more than two years. As a doctoral candidate, Freitas loved asking big questions, challenging established theories and sinking her teeth into sacred texts. She felt at home in the library, and safe in the book-lined offices of scholars whom she admired. But during her first year, one particular scholar became obsessed with Freitas' academic enthusiasm. He filled her student mailbox with letters and articles. He lurked on the sidewalk outside her apartment. He called daily and left nagging voicemails. He befriended her mother, and made himself comfortable in her family's home. He wouldn't go away. While his attraction was not overtly sexual, it was undeniably inappropriate, and most importantly--unwanted. In Consent: A Memoir of Unwanted Attention, Donna Freitas delivers a forensic examination of the years she spent stalked by her professor, and uses her nightmarish experience to examine the ways in which we stigmatize, debate, and attempt to understand consent today.
  how to email a professor about being sick: The Burnout Epidemic Jennifer Moss, 2021-09-28 Named one of 10 Best New Management Books for 2022 by Thinkers50 Named to the shortlist for the 2021 Outstanding Works of Literature (OWL) Award in the Management & Culture Category In this important and timely book, workplace well-being expert Jennifer Moss helps leaders and individuals prevent burnout and create healthier, happier, and more productive workplaces. We tend to think of burnout as a problem we can solve with self-care: more yoga, better breathing techniques, and more resilience. But evidence is mounting that applying personal, Band-Aid solutions to an epic and rapidly evolving workplace phenomenon isn't enough—in fact, it's not even close. If we're going to solve this problem, organizations must take the lead in developing an antiburnout strategy that moves beyond apps, wellness programs, and perks. In this eye-opening, paradigm-shifting, and practical guide, Jennifer Moss lays bare the real causes of burnout and how organizations can stop the chronic stress cycle that an alarming number of workers suffer through. The Burnout Epidemic explains: What causes burnout—and what organizations can do to prevent it Why traditional wellness initiatives fall short How companies can build an antiburnout strategy based on prevention, not perks How leaders can measure burnout in their own organizations What leaders can do to develop a healthier culture that prioritizes resilience and curiosity As the pandemic has shown, self-care is important, but it's not a cure-all for burnout. Employers need to do more. With fascinating research, new findings from the pandemic, and interviews with business leaders around the globe, The Burnout Epidemic offers readers insightful and actionable advice that will empower them to help themselves—and their employees—feel healthier and happier at work.
  how to email a professor about being sick: Sick and Tired Stephanie Premji, 2019-01-09T00:00:00Z Bringing together a multidisciplinary group of experts from the fields of labour studies, public health, ergonomics, epidemiology, sociology and law, Sick and Tired examines the inequalities in workplace health and safety. Using an anti-oppressive framework, chapters interrogate a wide range of issues, including links between precarious employment and mental health, the inverse relationship between power and occupational health through the experiences of women, immigrants and older workers, and the need for creative strategies that promote health and safety in ways that support empowerment and equity.
  how to email a professor about being sick: Higher Hopes: a Black Man's Guide to College R.D. Smith, 2012-08-17 For many, college is their first chance at life without a guide or instruction manual. There is great room to succeed-as well as fail. How can you approach your college career with the right tools, insights, and tips to succeed? In Higher Hopes, the author meticulously covers every aspect of your college journey from academics to relationships to studying abroad to dealing with race and class issues. Far from telling you to just do your homework and obey the rules, Higher Hopes outlines the hidden lessons and sometimes painful learnings that can make college not only an accomplishment but a triumph.
  how to email a professor about being sick: It's Not All in Your Head Gordon J. G. Asmundson, Steven Taylor, 2005-05-05 Where do you go for help when no one believes you're really sick? The doctors can’t explain your symptoms, but you know there’s something wrong because you can sense it in your body. Living with the specter of an unresolved health issue isn't just painful, it's isolating. The preoccupation and stress it causes can disrupt your career or interfere with personal relationships. If you continually experience symptoms of illness, or worry a lot about disease, you may be suffering from health anxiety--a condition that can produce physical effects of its own, including muscle tension, nausea, and a quickened heart rate. In this compassionate and empowering book, noted psychologists Gordon J. G. Asmundson and Steven Taylor provide simple and accurate self-tests designed to help you understand health anxiety and the role it might be playing in how you feel. Concrete examples and helpful exercises show you how to change thought and behavior patterns that contribute to the aches, pains, and anxiety you're experiencing. The authors also explain how to involve friends and family--and when to seek professional help--as you learn to stay well without worry. Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies (ABCT) Self-Help Book of Merit
  how to email a professor about being sick: Notes to Self Emilie Pine, 2019-06-11 The international sensation that illuminates the experiences women are supposed to hide—from addiction, anger, sexual assault, and infertility to joy, sensuality, and love. WINNER OF THE AN POST IRISH BOOK OF THE YEAR • “Emilie Pine’s voice is razor-sharp and raw; her story is utterly original yet as familiar as my own breath.”—Glennon Doyle, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Love Warrior In this dazzling debut, Emilie Pine speaks to the events that have marked her life—those emotional disruptions for which our society has no adequate language, at once bittersweet, clandestine, and ordinary. She writes with radical honesty on the unspeakable grief of infertility, on caring for an alcoholic parent, on taboos around female bodies and female pain, on sexual violence and violence against the self. This is the story of one woman, and of all women. Devastating, poignant, and wise—and joyful against the odds—Notes to Self is an unforgettable exploration of what it feels like to be alive, and a daring act of rebellion against a society that is more comfortable with women’s silence. Praise for Notes to Self “Notes to Self begins as a deceptively simple catalogue of the injustices of modern female life and slyly emerges as a screaming treatise on just what it means to make your own rules, turning the hand you’ve been dealt into the coolest game in town. Emilie Pine is like your best friend—if your best friend was so sharp she drew blood.”—Lena Dunham, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Not That Kind of Girl “To read these essays is to understand the human condition more clearly, to reassess one’s place in the world, and to reclaim one’s own experiences as real and valid.”—Sunday Independent “Harrowing, clear-eyed . . . Everyone should consider [this] priority reading.”—Sunday Business Post “Incredible and insightful—an absolute must-read.”—The Skinny “Agonizing, uncompromising, starkly brilliant. . . . [A] short, gleamingly instructive book, both memoir and psychological exploration—a platform for that insistent internal voice that almost any woman . . . wishes they had ignored.”—Financial Times “Do not read this book in public. It will make you cry.”—Anne Enright