"But I Studied so Hard!"

Another week’s gone, this time taken up with marking and grading exam papers, which always takes me an inordinate amount of time because I try to be fair. But what really annoys me is when students ask me to look at their script again: they are really disappointed with their grade; they know that they didn’t do as well as they should, but they studied a lot; or they really need a high average. These are obviously the ones who didn’t work well during the term, when they were too busy socializing with their friends. They only realize what they have done (or rather haven’t) when the grades come in. As the Iranians say, “baby chicks are counted at the end of autumn,” or “as you sow, so you shall reap.”