I've heard it so many times this Finals week: "You are not your GPA."
Yes, I know, it's commonly assumed that the people who say, "You are not your GPA" are the people that have a GPA that they're not proud of, but this isn't high school anymore. I do not have a 4.0, but ask me how much I care.
I attend Ohio Northern University as a pharmacy major. Pharmacy is a doctorate program, and at most schools, it takes eight years to complete the program. Not at Ohio Northern, though, as the program only takes six years here. How? At least 18 credit hours every semester and a lot of entry level courses being skipped. I'm not saying my school and major is an excuse for not having a 4.0, but I also wasn't messing around with classes like Music Appreciation.
Aside from that, I know a lot of my friends and other people here at Ohio Northern are in the same boat. We've studied for astronomical hours, something that would appear physically and mentally impossible, yet we've done it, and the grades don't seem to reflect the insane effort put into them. Yes, it's a bummer, but we are all more important than that three-digit number.
It seems as though anyone only wants to ask how my GPA was or if I made Dean's List (I actually did, for those of you reading back home), and yes, that's wonderful and all, but there's a lot you can't tell by my GPA.
You can't tell...
...that I have a minor in Spanish.
...that I am a student-athlete, playing a collegiate varsity sport.
...that I am a part of Greek life, where I'm a proud sister of Zeta Tau Alpha.
...that I ran all social media for our Student Senate, the overall representative for almost everything that happens on campus.
...that I'm a part a professional pharmaceutical fraternity, Kappa Epsilon.
...that I was selected to introduce incoming freshmen to campus next year at Orientation and Welcome Weekend.
...that I held an on-campus job.
...that I straight up had a Google sheets with color coded sections just to keep my schedule straight.
What I'm really trying to say here is that based on my GPA, you don't know who I am or what I am. I mean, you know I didn't get straight A's, like I previously did, but excuse me for getting a couple B's in some classes. Guess what... I'm still going to be employable. Shocking, isn't it?
Every time you ask me about my grades, I will most definitely give you an answer, but I'd prefer you ask me about who or what I am as a person. I am more than the person you see on a transcript or on a piece of paper, and that's okay.
My aspirations were bigger than a number, anyway.
