Exam week is by far the most underrated week of school in the entire school year. Between getting to sleep in, leaving early, and not even going to school once or twice during the week, plus the likelihood of snow days, I honestly can’t think of a better week in the academic year.
This year, however, I was unfortunately reminded once again of a population of the CHS student body that is never content at the final stretch of first semester: the Grade Grubbers.
This special breed of CHS students emerge like cicadas back from a semester-long rest to once again approach their teachers’ desks, put on a cheesy smile, and ever so convincingly argue why their borderline grades should be distorted into higher grades that they didn’t earn. They are exceptionally persistent and become so convinced that they earned said fake grade that they think they should have an exception made for them.
Grade Grubbers generally fail miserably and return to dormancy until they resurface with their whiney ways the subsequent semester, but most teachers probably cringe as exam week approaches to see which of their students employ the most persistently annoying grade arguing logic.
Their constant begging and pleading brings disdain to this wonderful week of school and greatly irritates every borderline grade-earning student who willingly accepts his or her real grade—the grade  he or she undoubtedly deserved. Grade Grubbing is contagious: not fighting tirelessly for an improved semester grade is becoming taboo to CHS students who expect teachers to sympathize with their unjustified logic.
As the concept of fighting for borderline grades gains popularity at CHS, students begin to expect that the exceptions to the grade rules be made for them. The exceptions made for the most argumentative discriminate against students who are also stuck with their borderline grades, but choose to accept the grade they are given.
CHS makes sure to heavily punish academic dishonesty, such as cheating, but a student finagling his or her way to higher scores by begging teachers unfortunately seems to be encouraged as long as one can pull it off. The fake final grade achieved by Grade Grubbing can alter one’s grade just like cheating would, but is not looked down upon with great consequence like conventional cheating methods. By doing nothing to stop or address the issue, CHS encourages its students to grub for grades.
 It would be beneficial to the entire CHS community if this behavior would stop reappearing at the end of each marking period. The grade changes represent a false sense of accomplishment for students who do not deserve a certain grade and treats CHS students with a unjustified sense of superiority because they get this exception made for them time and time again.
If my wish comes true, you may see exam week making major moves from its current spot as my second favorite school week, eclipsing my now favorite, no shower/free hugs week of Feb. 28 through March 6.