Mark the essays

You suppose you ought to do at least a little work today and stroll through to your college's Leopard Quad, a secluded garden courtyard that's a favourite haunt of yours in the spring and summer. One thing that hasn't changed since you found the Rulebook is that the handful of students who use the Quad for study lie on the daisy-strewn lawn rather than sitting on one of the benches surrounding it. The more formal, public areas politely ask people to Keep off the Grass, but the rules here are more relaxed.

Taking a seat on your usual bench, you connect your laptop to the wireless network, casually casting your gaze over the young women basking in the sun whilst they solve Diophantine equations or wax lyrical over the metaphysical influences of Italian renaissance art, their bare legs and other exposed parts of their delightful anatomy only occasionally displaying signs of recent correction.

You discover that as you expected, you only have eight intermediate students today, the joint schools candidates being taught by tutors from the other half of their course this term. Susan has done an excellent job marking the essays and after reading them through, along with her comments, you feel in a position to take the tutorials without any extra research. The only slightly disappointing thing is that just one of the assignments isn't of the required standard, an A-minus earning Mediterranean brunette Beatrice a mere six of the best, although you suppose that if the most you have to complain about is that your students are too good, then it's not a bad problem to have.

Beatrice and her tute-partner, the shy but efficient Vesna, a slim blonde, are third up, followed by busty best friends Hala, of middle-eastern descent and fun-loving Gwendolen. Before them, though, are the sporty duo, Jade and Cora, then chalk-and-cheese pair Minseo and Natalie, who despite not liking each other very much, somehow manage to consistently produce some of the best and most unconventional cooperative and individual work.

After reviewing their files, you stand up and stretch, ready for an afternoon of teaching. A few minutes later, you've made it back to your room and are waiting for the first pair to arrive.