B's are depressing, mkay...

Ugh.  Midterm grades are back.  All A's, except for two B's (so I guess, I can't technically use the term "all A's").  My modern comparative lit essay in which I brilliantly explained the Japanese use of kotodama within literature in ten pages earned me an 85/100.  My professor said that I was so close to an A, but just needed to add additional info.  Last I checked, an 85 is lightyears away from an A.  Hmmph.

Then, today I received my British Literature essay back.  This one was about how authors use their characters as puppets to convey messages that would not be socially accepted coming from the actual author.  I used fantastic examples from "The Wife of Bath", "Utopia" and "Hamlet" to back this up.  The grade posted said 88/100.  I open the essay for remarks and it turns out that it was an A paper, but had been marked off 5 points for being turned in an hour late.  So, technically a 93... and due to time constraints I had to turn it in late.

I know I sound whiny and I DID get A's on my other papers, but sometimes it feels as though being graded is what gives me true satisfaction.  I know it's really all about learning and having my pool of knowledge grow... but without an above average GPA I can kiss my dreams of Grad school goodbye.

The only possible solution is to simply work harder and put in 200% effort as opposed to 100%.  I don't understand how there are college students out there who work 2 full time jobs, volunteer, work for the schools newspaper, run off of 4 hours of sleep each night AND take six courses a semester all while effortlessly getting straight A's.

Everyone tells me that I am freaking out and should be grateful to receive B's on such challenging assignments because there are in fact those who earn C's and D's.  But, I doubt those people are trying to take their English experience further.  Sigh.  Does anyone else understand what I mean?  Or am I just some A obsessed crazed lunatic?