During high school, I prided myself on a simple number. I got all A's and A+'s and my GPA was well above a 4.0. I always thought that this small number made or broke my life. It has been ingrained in our brains how important this one number is in our lives, but in reality, it only shows a small glimpse of someone's life. College has made me realize that there are many things my GPA will never tell you about myself. I'm sure we've all heard the question, "what's your GPA?"

But, there's one big thing: I am not what my GPA tells you I am. What I got in calculus, one chemistry class, or a core class doesn't reflect my intellectual abilities. It does not define who I am as a person.

I am motivated, hardworking, smart, and all other things my GPA tells you I'm not. I value my education. I put a lot of time, energy, and emotion into my school work. But, if I get a certain GPA, I lack the intelligence for my future goals. One bad test basically determines my future.

I'll admit that it's easy to give up too soon, but don't judge a college student by their test grades. I'm only human and can make mistakes. Just because I got my first B ever doesn't mean that I'm a failure. It doesn't make me irresponsible and careless. I promise I'm more than that.

My GPA doesn't tell you how passionate I am about my future and others. One professor didn't like the way I voiced my opinions in my essays, but that doesn't tell you the time and effort I poured into that piece.

My GPA will never tell you the sleepless nights I spent to finish my research paper. My grades cannot show you how physically, emotionally, and mentally exhausted I am. But still, I manage to find a way to get out of bed and go to my classes. It will never tell you how hard I push myself to get my degree so I can accomplish all I've set out to do. It will never tell you who I really am because what's important in my eyes may not be so to others.

Truth be told, I am everything but a failure. I am bright, perseverant, and determined. My test grades, transcripts, GPA and everything in between cannot tell you things that I am capable of far greater than a 4.0 scale.

Once I'm out of school and have completed all of the degrees I wish to accomplish, I will no longer have to memorize what As and an A- average turn out to be. It's a silly number that depicts how a few years of my life added up. It doesn't show the memories I made and it does not show who I really am. In the real world, very few people will care what my GPA was in college. They will only care how I apply what I have learned. I am not my GPA. I am much more than that.