Grades

Today, I had a serious talk with my classmate from my French class who is worried about the fact that he has a 81 B in the class. My retort was simply, "Have you learned anything?" He replied, "Yeah, but I want an A."

Ever since we were little, we've been told that grades are important. The letters that we received 4 times a year determined who we were. "A" Students were smart, stuck-up, losers, or brownnosers. "F" Students didn't care, were stupid, or rebelled against the establishment. "C" Students were average (which was a negative thing), uninspired, and apathetic. But what I've realized to be more and more true is that the people who care so much about these grades are more than just the people who made A's their whole life and would die if they got a C. They're people who don't value what they're learning.

Many people see education as a means to an end. One must get their Bachelor's of Science degree to have anything meaningful in life. Or if you're a hippie liberal, you need your Master's of the Arts. But in order to do that, you need the grades. Granted, they're important. Your GPA is a initial indicator of your promise as a student. But I think what matters more is the fact that you're learning and that you apply what you're learning to your life, your career, and your personal growth.

I challenge people to think beyond their grades. Do your best and learn. That's the most important thing of all. As long as you are satisfied with yourself, there is nothing else in the world that matters.

After all, A is just a letter. You are SO much more than that.