You might remember those childhood days when you'd dream up wild excuses just to get out of a school assignment. Maybe you faked a stomach ache or claimed the dog really did eat your homework. But more often than not, you had no choice but to buckle down and get the work done. Understanding that his students might be looking for a way out of their midterm assignment, Matthew Pittman, a professor at the University of Tennessee, offered his class a surprising choice—either perform a 15-second dance in front of the class or write a 15,000-word paper.
Coming from a professor, the option might seem unusual. After all, choosing to dance means passing up a chance to showcase academic ability, and showing a lot of vulnerability in front of your fellow classmates. But for one student, it was the perfect opportunity to show off her moves instead. TikTok user Kenzie Greene shared a now-viral video capturing the moment her professor asked the class if anyone wanted to take the dance option. A student in the first row raised her hand, and the professor welcomed her to the front to give a 15-second routine her best shot.
The confident student delivered an energetic performance, complete with bold dance moves and even acrobatics. When she finished, she looked to the professor, waiting for a reaction. With just a small nod, Pittman moved on and addressed the rest of the class. “Option two is a 15,000-word paper on the implications of AI in biomedical engineering,” he explained. “Who’s going with option two?” Every hand in the room went up without hesitation, opting for the lengthy paper over the spotlight—perhaps a sign that the class is full of introverts.
Pittman has made a name for himself as an out-of-the-box professor. He previously went viral for belting out emo songs to wake up snoozing students. And this 15-second dance offer isn’t the first time the professor has gotten creative with his extra credit opportunities either. In another video shared by Greene, students were challenged to guess the lyrics of a Zach Bryan song. If they got it right, they didn’t just earn extra credit, they also scored free tickets to see the country singer-songwriter in concert. As Greene put it in the caption, “College is so unserious sometimes”—and honestly, we have to agree.
Kenzie Greene: TikTok
Matthew Pittman: Instagram | TikTok
All images via Kenzie Greene.
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