We are all very aware that finals week is coming up. Which means summer is right around the corner!
But.
I don't know about you, but I've been counting down the days since before spring break (I swear I don't have a countdown going on my computer...). Now, though, I'm dreading next week because I can't help but feel the pressure of finals quickly approaching and taunting me. This is a reminder for not only myself but everyone else, that you are more than just a number. That "B" you get on a final is not a definition of your character. That 2.6 GPA is not a measure of who you are. Just because you get a 4.0 doesn't always mean you're happy. Let me repeat myself, in case I wasn't clear the first time: You are more than just a number.
We are constantly defined by numbers - our age, weight, attractiveness on a scale of one to 100. These are constant factors looked at in our society. In case you didn't understand me before, we are not these numbers or factors. None of these factors take into account the fact that you gave $20 to that homeless man on the corner a few days ago. It does not take into account the hours of work you put into that final paper or the hours of community service you spent all semester at a soup kitchen. That number does not take into account the number of tears your shoulder has accumulated when your friend's eyes were rain clouds that wouldn't let up. You are a person who is so much more than that an assigned digit.
I'm going to put myself in your shoes for a second. I'm going to assume that sometimes you just don't feel smart enough, pretty enough, skinny enough, strong enough or just all around good enough. Sometimes you're not sure if you're actually smart or if you've just gotten really good at winging it and you keep getting lucky. Am I on the right track?
You are so much more than these irrelevant factors society chooses to focus on and obsess over. These factors you are pining over are not a definition of what makes you, well... you. Honestly, sometimes it doesn't feel like you'll ever get your sh*t together. Even the people who look like they're put together have to remind themselves that this is normal sometimes. Trust me when I say I've been there. Most of the time, I'm still stuck in the mentality that I have to have it together 24/7. This is not the mindset to have.
So trust me when I say I mean this. You are not a number. You are a person. You are a person who is capable of love, hope, and learning. You are also capable of making mistakes and moving on. You are worth more than you might believe, you just have to believe it.
