The Best Victory Of My Life

I'm cleaning out my old PSU email account, deciding whether or not I should save certain Xanga subscriptions, when I came across this email. I wrote it at the end of Spring 2005, when I realized that if I didn't get my ducks in a row, I might never graduate. It's an emotional appeal to one of my professors to get him to raise my grade to a C. Not one of my prouder moments, but it had to be done. My request reads as follows:

Rohan,

I wish to discuss the outcome of my EE 324 grade. I am not disputing the results of my final exam score, but instead I would like to explain to you the reasoning behind why my performance on the exam was so low, which led to me receiving a D in the class. I am hoping that you will agree with my reasons and promote my grade to a passing mark.

First of all, let me point out that on both of my previous midterms I received either average or above average marks, that my performance and that of my group's in the lab was more than satisfactory, and that both of my lab partners rated me well in the evaluation. Furthermore, I have attended every review session that you have held for each exam. I do not think that I am a poor student when it comes to EE 324.

That being said, the reasons for my poor final exam performance are thus: I have a roommate who is in charge of the electricity bill at our house. Each month, we all pay him the money for the bill, and we think that he takes care of it. However, on Wednesday, May 4, our power was shut off due to the fact that he has not paid Allegheny Power in four months (He has stolen over $800 dollars from us). We have not had electricity at my house since then, and a week and a half later, he has made no attempt to turn it back on. I have the electricity shut-off notice from Allegheny Power as proof of this matter. My other roommates and I have begun the process of suing him, I have the paperwork of this as proof also.

As a result of this extreme inconvenience, my studying and that of my other roommates was seriously disrupted. Compound this with the added stress of finals week and the burdens of living without electricity (no hot showers, no lights, no self cooked meals, etc) it is easy to see why my final exam grade suffered. I couldn't even sleep at home in my bed, for fear that I would not be able to wake up without an alarm clock. I had to sleep in the HUB and ask a fellow student wake me up in time for my tests.

Rohan, I am a responsible person, and I am more than willing to take responsibility for my actions. However, due to these events that are wholly and completely out of my control, I have unjustly suffered. I need to pass EE 324 for me to be able to graduate in the fall. If I do not, I have no chance of doing so, and I am forced to stay for another semester. I am asking you, as a desperate student to a sympathetic teacher, as one human being to another, to have some compassion and to please promote my grade to a C from a D.

Thank you,
Eric Wang

And his response (six nail-biting weeks later, via automated email) :

Eric W. Wang

Your academic record has been updated for the following course(s).

SEMESTER COURSE SECTION CREDITS
Spring 2005 E E 324 006 3.0

Please go to eLion 'Grades' (http://elion.psu.edu) to obtain this new grade information.



ERIC FOR THE WIN!!!