Anonymous
If you’re reading this, you are more than academic validation.
Throughout my whole life there has been an emphasis from my parents, classmates, peers, and teachers on the importance of school as well as the importance of stellar performance on all of my assignments. Every A that I received came with some sort of reward or compliment from everyone I was surrounded by. I soon realized that people cared more about my grades than they cared about other parts of my life.
Once I noticed how individuals praised my academic success, I became obsessed with achieving nothing but A’s no matter how long I had to study. Every A that I achieved seemed like a reward at first. However, that quickly changed when I became focused on the validation I received from these grades rather than about other aspects of my life.
Instead of focusing on my friends, my family, work, or my other hobbies, I was surrounding myself with only my schoolwork because the academic validation became part of my personality. I started to focus so much on school that I did not care about the activities that used to interest me.
Over time, I began to tie my worth to the grades I was receiving. A single mistake on an assignment or a grade that fell short of perfection made me devastated. Instead of seeing a poor grade on an assignment as an opportunity to learn and grow, I started to see it as a constant test of my value.
After coming to college, I soon realized that it's okay to make mistakes.I learned that learning to grow and adapt is more important than the validation you receive. Grades are only numbers on a page. They may reflect effort or understanding at a particular moment, but they do not measure creativity, kindness, resilience, or the countless other qualities that define who you are.
If you’re reading this and you are feeling the same pressure to prove yourself through academic success. Remember that your value extends far beyond the validation you receive from academic assignments. You are more than your GPA, more than your score on an exam, and you are more than the expectations that are placed on you by others to succeed. Your friends, your family, your passions, and your curiosity are all things that make you successful as well as unique and are more important than academic validation.
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