Would You Go to Court for a Better Resume?

And Other Ways to Set Your Life on Fire

Photo courtesy of author

I’ve been teaching for almost thirty years. In that time, a lot has changed. The technology, the learning platforms, and even the way we talk to each other in class.

Overhead projectors turned into PowerPoint. PowerPoint turned into video lectures. Now, students ask questions through WhatsApp, and half the time, I’m talking to a front-facing camera.

Students have changed too. They’re more outspoken, more self-aware, and much more comfortable challenging authority. And I don’t mind that. At all.

I’m not here to whine about “kids these days.” They’re smart, they’re vocal, and they’re not afraid to ask questions. Even if 87% of those questions boil down to: “Is this on the test?”

But one thing hasn’t changed.

Grades.

And, the obsession with grades.

Grades were important when I was a student. Not just for graduation, but for jobs, internships, scholarships, everything. They’re the numbers people put on their CVs like proof of intelligence and ambition. And when those numbers fall short — even slightly — students will do anything to push them up.