If you are not satisfied with your grade, instead of railing against the Universe or your professor, consider approaching your instructor and asking them how you might have earned a different grade on that particular assignment. Seek to understand what a successful iteration, or trial effort, would look like in that context. If for some reason you are uncomfortable with your professor, or you have found them lacking in their feedback capacity, then check in with an advisor, a mentor, or your school’s tutoring center to ask how to improve.
I encourage you to take this proactive approach for dealing with The Dreaded Grade, rather than say, assuming you are fabulous as you are and the professor is simply an idiot. Who has no proper grading rubric and simply plays favorites. Who probably graded those papers in the midst of a drunken stupor. Or by tossing them down the stairs to see which step they landed on. And who clearly does not recognize the glory of your natural awesomeness. Who act out of sheer malice. Or prejudice.*
*Caveat: If you believe that your grade is the result of actual prejudice, racism, sexism, homophobia, etc… then you should have recourse through a formal administrative process for petitioning your grade. See your university’s academic handbook for policies and procedures regarding grade petitions. Don’t let the bastards get away with that. Ahem…
That shared, there is wisdom in enacting a proactive learning strategy of reaching out and asking, “What might I do differently?” The truth is, professors appreciate students who take initiative. And even the “idiots” will happily work with you to help you do better, if for no other reason than it flatters their vanity to be asked. A good proportion of our time spent in professional office hours involves just waiting around for someone to contact us. Think what a kind deed you are performing, by giving us something useful to do with that time, especially if we are sitting alone in some virtual Zoom room! All kidding aside, that is precisely why we are there. To serve and help you.
In the end, if perhaps, just maybe, your professor does not embody the potential, grievous character flaws listed above, then it might be that you actually have some potential room to grow. When you take a moment and acknowledge that fact, then you can begin to make changes in your work. You can direct your attention and energies to cultivating your awesome natural abilities, which just might need some tweaking and honing. You can choose to open yourself up to learn, which is the point of being in college, and thus enhance your performance.
Things the Professor Cannot Actually Say 