We’ve all heard the phrase, “ your grades don’t define you”. Typically, it’s something we either tell ourselves or something our parents tell us after we get a bad grade. We don't think of it as a fact, but rather as a consolement.

And let’s be honest....no one really believes that.

But please stop and think about this, Your grades do not define who you are. Now, why do I say this? Especially in college, grades are EVERYTHING. Grades determine your future job, your future income, your future life. Your grades are the only thing that is consistently on your mind every day in college.

Now listen carefully. Your grades are important. You should put a lot of effort into getting good grades. But how well you do in class is not a direct correlation of your worth as a person.

Just because you get a bad grades doesn't mean that you are stupid. Maybe you were so focused on other classes that you never had time for this one. Maybe your teacher's goal is to make their class as difficult as possible. (You think this is crazy? I know some professors that pride themselves on how few A's their students get). Maybe that guy who sits behind you and knows all the answers is actually doing a repeat, or only is taking 12 credits, you don't know.

Now, your bad grades might be a result of your actions (i.e. not studying, staying up late partying, never going to class etc.) But just because you scored low on a test, that doesn't give you the right to hate on yourself. Be disappointed, fine, but not hateful.

You can still be a smart person, but maybe math isn’t your thing. Or maybe you have a very scientific mind and those stick figures just don’t cut it in that mandatory art class.

We all have our own different strengths. If yours isn’t test taking, focusing on studying, or even school in general, THAT’S OKAY. You still try your hardest, and you still get through. And even if you don’t graduate top of your class, life goes on.

There are so many more things in life than just school, so don’t think of yourself as failure just because you failed a test.

It may have taken you twice as much work to graduate med school, but that learning of perseverance has made you ten times a better doctor than those who aced it.

On the other hand, just because you get amazing grades that doesn’t mean that you're instantly this amazing person either.

If you're doing great in school, GO YOU!!!!! But don't forget that acing that Bio test doesn't make you a nice person. Passing all your research papers with flying colors doesn't give you integrity. Those are qualities that really define you. Not how much time you spent on a study guide.

Just because you have a 4.0, that doesn’t automatically mean you’ll do well in life. Maybe you will, but whether you do or not isn’t always connected with your ability in school. School and the Real World are very different playing fields, just because you do one way in one of them doesn’t mean you’ll do the same in the other.

I guess what I’m really trying to say is that, you could have high intelligence, courage, wisdom, humor, loyalty, anger issues, temper, untrustworthiness, bad judgment, be good with kids, be a great organizer, love adventure, hate the outdoors, or can’t cook to save your life, but almost none of it has any relation to your grades, good or bad.

So when you get your next test back, remember this: no matter what grade you made, good or bad, it will never have any effect on your worth as a person. Your self-image and personal confidence should never take a beating just because you don't understand one concept in class. And neither should you let it all get to your head either if you start raking up those perfect scores. College is only four years long you know....

There is so much more to you than whether you studied for two hours or twenty hours for a test.