August 17: Journal Entry #2

One could best describe my motivation towards EMC as zealous. In the past, I have respected the expectations & responsibilities placed upon me by the course with a level of enthusiasm characteristic of a priest tending after a church. However, akin to any individual who is deeply invested in religion & theology, my resolve has faltered as a result of the allure of leisure. But, once these momentary desires subside, I find my resolve to be strengthened, as if it were a piece of Roman concrete, or perhaps a broken bone which becomes sturdier whilst recovering from an injury. 

The duration of my summer was spent within the beauty of an English garden. The garden was open, seldom did the hedges obscure the view of The River Thames, and the spaciousness of the garden allowed for several dozens of flowers to bloom. The vulnerability of the garden affected me deeply, and it would frequently force me into a state of deep reflection. A memory that I often reflected upon took place in the winter of 2022. Me & my older brother, Shahrukh, were sitting at the bed of a lake, drinking tea, and enjoying the beauty of our homeland. Silence had gripped us for quite some time, however, seemingly abruptly, we began discussing matters ranging from politics to Persian rugs for several hours. The memory yields neither the profundity or sublimity associated with "favorite memories." Yet the memory is dear to spirit, and I credit this to the fact that it perfectly encapsulates the beauty of simplicity which is often underappreciated in the modern world.

The purpose of contemporary education is often debated upon by professors, academics, and common folk alike, however, it is generally agreed upon that the purpose of education, to differing extents, ought to be to equip children with the mental instruments needed to function and prosper within society. However, if one is to accept this definition, which I do, one must also accept the fact that differing children must be equipped in differing manners, and by extension they need to be judged on an individual basis by their professors. Yet the "traditional" grading system is unable to properly address the fact that students need to be judged on an individual basis as a result of it's rigid system of digits that reduce a student's intellectual capacity to a number when in reality a student's intellectual capacity can can only be described in language. Students, and humans as a whole, are far too nuanced to be categorized in such a manner, and this is why I hold the belief that "traditional" grading systems are unfair; grading systems need to become more fluid if assessments regarding student's intellectual capabilities are to be accurate.

Over the course of this summer I have developed a deep optimism for my future, I will spare you any details regarding the developments that led me to this serenity, but I will touch on what sustains it. Recently I've begun to write as a hobby. I've yet to develop any grandiose novels, only short stories that could be developed given more time, and this is what excites me about the coming few months. I will have a considerable amount of time to develop my stories over the course of the academic year, and that is something that I've been looking forward to as of late.