Act One: School Is Easy

My American Life: a tragedy in three acts

Yes, it's true. Three papers in the hole. One speech to plan. They say to be really prepared, you've got to spend one hour in preparation and research for every minute of speaking. I believe it. Last night I began with a simple sentence outline. Began with the outline and built the speech on it. Five and a half hours later, I had only two hours left of work to do. Too bad I didn't have as much time to sleep.

But it's a good thing I was just talking about coffee. I got to put theory into practice. I just downed a pot and went to work. So leaving work early (which really only means I have to go in early tomorrow) bought me the remaining prep time, and I knocked that speech out of the ball park. Fast-paced visuals. Interactive props. And seven and a half well-prepared, well-outlined, and well-documented minutes later, I walked off with my expected, but well-earned one hundred percent.

And that's the easy class. That was just for fun. Cause really, I could'a gotten away with just the basics. But I didn't.

Because. I. Am. An. Overachiever.

No? The rest of the week wont be so easy. A short essay. All sorts of topic work, annotated bibliography stuff, eight sources...all before I even begin work on the Grand Final Paper. Then there's something about the Animal Kingdom. And how it's going to be so important to read every word of Chapter 19. Because it's going to be on the final. Which I plan on taking and forgetting. But not before I commit it all to fragile memory. And write another four-pager. And complete the other available assignment.

It's available, I say, because it's extra credit. Which technically I don't need. But maybe, just maybe...what if I bomb it on that Animal Kingdom stuff? What if for some reason the whole Cancer Study falls through? Then I'd be kicking myself.

So I'll do it. Happily even.

Over-Achievement. All-Mighty A.

But you know why I say it's easy? Because it is. It's so simple:

I get to go and sit down. And watch someone talk. And they tell me what to do. So I do it. And if I forget, there's always a handy piece of paper to let me know what is next.

If I fail, which is relative, because every one sets their own goals, really, so my failing might be someone else's satisfaction, but if I fail, I fail on my own merit. I know what it was I didn't complete on time. Or which Test Questions I got wrong. Which chapter I didn't study. And I can always make up for it with that handy extra credit. Because I over-achieve, setting arbitrary goals just because I can. And not just because I can, but because they're so easy. Simple, really.