My friend came into class crying last Friday.

I didn't know why, but my asking didn't cease the confusion. She had told me it was because she had failed her AP Biology test. She had a B in the class, and she knew she absolutely failed the test. The teacher didn't give her more time, as she explained. He didn't let them take time after class to finish. What else could possibly become of a half-empty test sheet than an F?

When I went home that night and thought about what had happened,  I was thoroughly befuddled. What school, what world, would do this to children? What happened to everything? Wasn't it just yesterday when school was so simple? The truth is: it was. Education's evolution is most definitely more threatening than the evolution of man itself.

In first grade, it's all about learning. Just that. Nothing else. You learn how to add. You learn how to subtract. You learn what a comma is. You learn where to put the comma. You learn how to use the comma. Commas become gold mines.

In third grade, learning becomes levels. You shift: they expect you to be at a higher level, and you, in turn, expect more of yourself. You realize that now is not the time for games; you are at a higher level now. Higher levels do not permit games.

In seventh grade, levels become castes and medals. You shift: you are here, and someone is down there. Stay here and they will stay there. You scored here, and they scored down there. Here's a medal.

In ninth grade, castes and medals become numbers and lists. You shift: you are a tenth of a percentage above someone else. Some else is a tenth of a percentage above you. You are here on the list about all these people. All these people are here above you. Work harder.

In eleventh grade, it's an integration of all four. Learn everything. Retain it. Sustain it. Ace the class. Get to a higher level. Stay in this area. Nowhere else. Get to a higher level. Retain it. Here's a medal. You're one percent more above him. She's one percent more above you. Get to a higher level. Stay in this area. You're here on the list. Get to a higher level. Here's a medal. Learn everything.

However, that's the 'at-school' troubles. Before and after school is much more drastic. It's the competition of priorities.

You can skip a meal. You have to finish your homework. You can run on three hours of sleep. You have to finish your homework. You can spend time with family later. You have to finish your homework. You can work while having a cold. You have to finish your homework.

But that's not what really matters. A person can kill themselves for things they love and it can be validated. But what if it's something you despise? Then it not only becomes a physical problem, but a psychological problem as well.

The mind of a true student is like no other. Everything revolves around school. They go to school, think of school after school, do work for school, talk about school over dinner, go to sleep and dream of school, and wake up ready to continue the cycle.

The scary thing, though, is that it's inadvertent.

No one wants to go to school. No one wants to think of school after school. No one wants to do schoolwork. No one wants to talk about school over a nice meal. No one wants to go to sleep and dream about not having a project done on time.

But we do. And it's because of that A Student mentality.

At some point, the specifics describe what we are, not vice versa: a.k.a. the A Student mentality. You're not a student who recieves As, you're an A student. You're not Emily, you're the one with the 102.37%. You're not the one who gets good grades, you're the one who got the gold medal.

And that is precisely what bugs me. When will a child ever stop awaiting on a graed from someone else, or a number, or a medal, or a position on a list? Until it's too late? Until they mean nothing? Never? What are we conditioning our children with? We're supposed to trust the educational system. But how can we when the system does things like this to children?

Don't think, however, that I am writing this to start some type of movement, or some type of rioting. Frankly, it couldn't be done. The whole purpose of education is to be educated enough so that we can start movements, so that we can riot based on our knowledge. Therefore, starting a movement and rioting would be hypocritical and somewhat redundant. So no. I do not intend on inducing a national frontier against the extremities of scholarly mental dilapidation.

Education is essential to everyday life. If you cannot read a stop sign, if you cannot count money, you are most certainly in a very tight situation. Therefore, we cannot fight the system, at least, to a certain degree. I do not think we could win anyway. The educational business is just that: a business. Businessmen love their money, and they'll use it to keep it.

Think of this as a somewhat eulogy to the dregs of my soul. My "last words", so to speak. This is the last of me. Because it is now a lovely Thursday morning at 4:57 a.m., and I have to go finish my homework.