In high school, I prided myself on a simple number. I would get A’s and B’s while maintaining a good GPA all four years. I always thought this small number made or break your life. School has ingrained in our brains how important this one number is in our lives. However, college has made me see that a GPA only shows a small glimpse of someone’s life.
1. The time and effort I have put into studying.
There have been countless hours of reviewing notes, flashcards, and study guides. There has been freak out panic attacks where I think I won’t do well. There were hours typing on laptops, procrastinating with other material, and pep talks from friends and family.
2. That I have truly learned anything at all.
Right? The only thing I really learned in high school and part of college is how to take test. I have learned exactly how my teachers will word questions and the material to focus my studying on. After the exam, I didn’t learn anything. I couldn’t tell you what I gained from being able to regurgitate information in order to get the grade I want.
3. The mental and emotional health I have.
The hours studying and reviewing results in being mentally and emotionally drained after an exam. It doesn’t show if I am in good, stable mental health or so stressed out over a simple grade. One big problem about exams is the pressure that is put on students. The pressure can build up and mentally and emotionally wreck a person’s mental health over one grade.
4. My personality.
A number on a piece of paper won’t show the kind of person I am or how I am able to interact with others. It doesn’t tell anybody if I will be able to function in a company or not. My personality is a big part of who I am, and this number doesn’t show whether I will be a good employee or not.
5. My ability to balance everything on top of school.
Balancing a job and school in high school was not the easiest of tasks to manage. However, I still managed to get the grades even if that meant staying up late working on assignments or waking up early to go in for help. It doesn’t show the struggle I had trying to get people to cover shifts when I had too much homework or doing homework the class period before.
6. The memories and friends I’ve made along the way.
School provides you with friends that will be around for a long time. They provide you with support and memories that cannot be made with a GPA. These friends have struggled with you and watched you grow regardless of the grades you get.
7. My creativity.
Tests, homework, and quizzes have no room for creativity. GPA doesn’t show the way my mind works or the ideas I have spinning around. It doesn’t show how my imagination can run wild and make any situation more fun.
8. The drive and passion in my heart.
It doesn’t show the determination I have truly in my heart. The drive I have to finish and get to the goals I have set for myself. It doesn’t show how bad I truly want something and how sometimes the grade doesn’t always match that.
9. The goals I've achieved and exciting plans I’ve made.
The GPA I get doesn’t change the goals or plans I have made for my life. It doesn’t change the direction I want to take my life. It doesn’t show the big, incredible dreams that have built in my brain.
10. What the future has in store.
One’s GPA doesn’t predict where someone will end in their life. It doesn’t even show where you are right now. You are in control of your life and your future; you shouldn’t let a number get in the way of the plans and opportunities that will come your way.
GPA’s should not and will never determine who you are as a person. Don’t let a simple number dictate who you are and the attitude you have in life. Remember that just because your GPA isn’t the best, It doesn’t mean that you aren’t smart.
