I know exactly how you feel! You have been accustomed to success all of your life, and when you get a "B" on an assignment you feel as if you have failed, not only the assignment but also yourself. You feel as if you aren't smart enough. You feel as if you should just drop out and quit now, because there is no way you can save yourself. You may not have had to study in high school, or maybe you studied all the time. You may have even created your own definition of the word "failure," I changed the meaning from doing poorly to being average. Overall, this is not healthy at all! You sike yourself out if you're just as good as the person beside you. You feel as if you must have the best score to actually pass.

At times, you probably found yourself in a stressed state of mind, where you felt as if you wouldn't be able to live up to the standard you've set.

I grew up scared to make a "B" in my classes. I was scared that I would fall below my parents', teachers', and peers' expectations of me. I never wanted to disappoint anyone, and when I did, I would often find myself in a downward spiral. You see, I never fully grasped the fact that if I try my best, study countless hours, and apply myself to the best to my ability and still make a "B," that it is okay. I survived my first "B," so it is obviously not the end of the world. Have you ever heard the saying, "C's make degrees?" You don't have to have a perfect score on every test! Would it be nice? Sure it would, but it's not practical.

Want some advice? Quit stressing out so much about your grades, and enjoy this season of your life.

I didn't enjoy high school as much as I should have, because I felt like if I didn't have all "A's" that I would be letting everyone down. I was somewhat involved, but not as much as I wish I would've been. Make the most of the time you have left with the people who you have in your life, right now. I graduated in May and I've only seen two of the people I graduated with, and one of them I've only seen once. Time is a precious thing, and you won't have the chance to make these memories again. So, go out and have fun, make some memories, and find a balance between school and fun. It will make all the difference!