So, let’s talk about grades. Yes, (deep breath) grades. Those powerful combinations of lines that make up a letter—a tiny, lonesome letter—sometimes accompanied by +/-. As students, these letters seem to dictate how smart we are and what is to become of our future. Sometimes it may even feel like they identify us, as if they are painted on our foreheads like a code to our success for everyone else to read.
It’s not just letters; numbers make me nervous, too. I mean, what is an 83? B? B-? C? How did the teacher determine that all the hard work (my sentences, my ideas, the stress) that went into writing a paper when I could have been out in the sun reading my favorite novel was worth only 83 points?
When I was in middle and high school, I got the message that 83% was how much I was worth. Without getting too mushy, I thought my parents loved me, my teachers appreciated me, and my friends admired me, but only as much as that percentage or letter. When I got an A+, I was bouncing on the clouds, but a B, C, or (dare I even say) F was more than I could handle.
The problem was, although I was working so hard for the grade, I didn’t value what I was learning. I’m happy I worked so hard and got into a college that challenges me, but somewhere along the way, I missed the bigger picture of my education. I regret those Sunday nights I spent panicking about the test that week, the project I had procrastinated on, or whether I would make the honor roll.
Now that I’m about to finish college, you might assume I have developed a better relationship with these obnoxious little markers, but they still have the power to make my heart jump. Sometimes I want to climb up on a rooftop with a megaphone and tell people, “You are not your grades!” Believe me. I know how it feels, but you are a person first, a valuable person, no matter what letters or numbers you get on an assignment.
It’s true that grades do matter. But I’ve learned that grades are not really about letters or numbers. They’re about the interest and passion you put into your classes, and it’s the learning you take from them that is important. Throughout my schooling, I’ve learned to ask for help, set reasonable goals, plan ahead, and take care of myself. By setting aside time to eat breakfast, walk on the beach or play the guitar, I manage to separate ‘me time’ from ‘work time’. This makes learning more approachable and my studying more productive.
If you struggled through biology or social science this year, shake it off, find out what made those classes so difficult for you, and start fresh and excited to learn next year. You will not carry around your report card forever, so build something more substantial, like a desire to learn and achieve in an area that interests you.
Image © Ciaproductions | Dreamstime.com