Usually when you go in for an interview, the interviewer asks the question: "What is your greatest weakness?" The typical answer? "Oh, I am a perfectionist". It is a backwards way to otherwise say that: "My only flaw is that am perfect". Which, is great. Who's doesn't want to be perfect? I know I do.

I wanted a 4.0 in high school. I wanted to be part of varsity cross country and lacrosse. I wanted to be captain of both teams. I wanted to be on student council. I wanted to be president of the speech and debate club. I wanted to go to state for speech and debate. I wanted to have a lot of friends. To be the best daughter and sister. I wanted to be well-known and well-liked. I wanted to volunteer often. I wanted to have a job. I wanted to to be considered pretty and nice. I wanted to get into every college I applied to. I wanted to play sports in college and be in the honors program. I wanted everyone to look at me and think "that girl has her whole life together". That balance of a solid social, academic and athletic life; that coveted "trifecta" I wanted perfection.

But, at what cost?

Many people self-declare themselves as perfectionists and, maybe, there is some truth behind their claims. Our society emphasizes so much that we need to be well-rounded individuals. The saying ''jack of all trades, master of none" has become "master of all trades". We are expected to not only take part in a variety of activities and to acquire a variety of skills, but to be superior at all of them. Just think about it. How many times in high school did you say: "This would look great on a college application!" How many times in college do you find yourselves saying "Yes, this will give me a leg up in the real world"? We are constantly trying to make ourselves as well-rounded as possible. We are trying to reach this goal of what we perceive to be perfection. But the unfortunate truth is that there is no such thing as perfection. So, those that are perfectionists are constantly chasing this unattainable goal. This endless chase has an increasing negative effect on our society.

I did not get a 4.0 in high school. I got one A- my junior year in my second semester of pre-calculus. While a 3.996 GPA might have been enough for some, I spent the last day of that class trying to hide the tears falling down my face from my classmates. I was not on varsity cross country for four years, only two. My junior and senior year, I was unable to run competitively because of injuries. I was incredibly depressed by this. I ran for student council secretary my junior year and did not get it. I went back home and cried for hours. I felt like a failure.

The list of how I failed to meet many of my goals goes on and on and on. Do not get me wrong however, it is not like my life was full of failures. I am playing lacrosse in college, I went to state for speech and debate, and I did graduate high school with a 3.996 even after taking almost all AP classes. It is just that whenever I failed to meet an expectation of mine, It was a blow to my confidence and self-esteem. Blows that i am currently trying to patch up 4-5 years later.

Perfection is not something to strive for. It is not something to desire or aspire to be. Your life should not revolve around that idea that you will not succeed if you have flaws. The constant race for perfection causes anxiety, poor self-esteem and too much unnecessary stress. There is no such thing as perfect, so why continue fighting to reach it. I know that is easier said than done. Being a perfectionist is a hard habit to kick. Especially since we live in a world that forces it upon us. Grad School is the new Bachelors Degree. A's are the new C's. Size 2 is the new skinny. What you see on tv is the new ideal body type. Everything we know has changed. And it is not done changing either. Today's perfection is tomorrow's average.

So, I beg and I plead people with perfectionist tendencies to think about this: you do not need to be perfect. This kind of "perfect" you are searching is not a one size fits all. Perfect is nothing but a human invented adjective that is loosely defined. You are great just the way you are. Life is messy and you will make mistakes. They are not life-ending. My failure to attain a 4.0 GPA in high school will not ruin the rest of my life and little things like that will not ruin yours. Embrace these "flaws that you see in yourself. These so called "imperfections" that you have, make you, you. And the world would not want it any other way.