My Feminism in Childbirth paper was a decent paper, and I had a LOT of fun writing it... but I was too emotionally involved with it. I didn't step back objectively and realize that I hadn't met the requirements of the paper that the professor had laid out. I entirely missed one section. ARGH!

I came home and sent the following e-mail:

I just got my paper back today, and you're right, I totally flailed on
the critique part... I had thought, in the back of my brain, that by
"defining" feminism, I'd somehow explained it, but I did not.

I think my major failing in that was being too emotionally involved in
the topic matter, and not removing myself from it in "crunch time".

Anyway, I mostly wanted to thank you for your positive feedback, even on
a paper that completely missed the mark. I'm pretty disappointed in
myself... looks like it'd been better off if you really DID miss the
paper :-P

Happy New Year and all that. I hope I get to encounter you again. You
are an awesome teacher and mentor. Jackie is fortunate to have you as an
advisor. :-)

- Amanda

My professor was amazing, her reply:

Dear Amanda,
You are such a dear.
It really grieved me to have to mark you down for that paper. I sat
with it a lonnnnng time.
But you are a rising star, I have no doubt about it.
You are going to go far.
I too hope our paths can cross again before too long. It was GREAT to
work with you.
Best, KIT

I had felt like I let HER down as well as myself.

One of these days I have to be hard on myself or something. ;-)