I collect a few things. For a long time I collected stamps. I still do sometimes. I collect dolls. Antique, unique, foreign, and ones that have memories behind them.

I also collect brownie points. I am an avid collector of brownie points. Last spring semester, the only reason I got an A in my math class was because I racked up so many brownie points. My professor even told me that. Basically.

With only 3 weeks left in the semester, I decided that today was the day that I needed to gain bonus points.

I told my Spanish professor that the way he grades is “smart thinking”. Actually, it’s not. From a student’s perspective it is, but from a teacher’s perspective it’s not. Tests are worth almost nothing, and there isn’t a final exam. If you come to every class every time class meets, and if you do your homework, but you still get C’s on tests, it is still possible to end up with an A in the class.

My biology professor is much different. He grades more traditionally, with a curve. I believe I’m at the top of the curve, but a few extra brownie points never hurt anyone.

Today I showed him this website. I ran across it when I was researching genetic mutations. It’s an interactive map of the human genome. There are genome maps for other species also. I really didn’t understand a whole lot of it, but what I did understand was very helpful. I typed the gene I needed information on into the search engine, and the results showed me everything about the gene and its neighbors. Very useful. To the right of the map there is a table that gives information on the genes. The table tells what the genes are used for, and will sometimes list syndromes or disorders that are associated with that particular gene. Also very useful.

Needless to say, my professor was very excited. Probably because he understood what more than 1/180 of what the map was talking about. When he ran to show another professor, I knew my brownie point count doubled.