Why Experiences Are More Important Than Your GPA

So much of school, whether it be high school or college, is so hyper focused on grade point average. I am not saying grades aren't important. They definitely are, however the pressure put on students to perform so well in the classroom, can leave them without experiences outside of it. I used to be very stressed about my grades, and I tried to compete with my expectations so much so that I wasn't enjoying life outside of the books. In high school, I started to remind myself that when I'm 40 I won't remember whether I got an A on my history test, but I'll remember cheering on my school's team at the state basketball championship. Sure, you should still take school seriously, but also know you do not have to be perfect all the time. Joining extracurricular activities not only allows you to make tons of memories, they give you vital leadership, team building, and time management skills. Something that strictly focusing on grades cannot give you. That same idea carries over into college. Being a perfect student while studying at a university is hard. Not only is college difficult for all majors, but it is also a time when students are thrown into adulthood and regular life, and are expected to either sink or swim. If you take some slight pressure off of yourself, you might allow time for excellent resume building opportunities and chances to network. Resumes are everything after college, and most employers are not going to be checking to see if you got a 3.3 or a 3.5. They will want you to have valuable life experiences in and out of the career field that you choose to follow and getting that C in English 101 freshman year isn't going to be the end all. My message isn't that you should throw your grades to the gutter and not care about them, but that should not be the only focus you have. Meeting new people and trying out new things will be much more valuable to you as a person and in your potential career in the long run.