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.

Valentine's Day

This time last year, I was spoiled rotten. I had an amazing boyfriend who I thought the world of, things were great. He came over at night and we cuddled and fell asleep together and I couldn't imagine the world without him.

Then two short weeks after Valentine's Day, he had a crisis of faith and left me, saying that he could not carry on his current lifestyle and still remain true to his Christianity and his relationship with Christ. All that said in a 5 page text message.

So this year, I had pretty much resolved myself to a Sunday of sitting in bed, eating gamble chocolates and eating ice cream and watching The Notebook, Dirty Love, The Sweetest Thing, and The Holiday. And if I didn't hate myself enough by the end of that run, there's always Brokeback Mountain, and I'm pretty sure I could have found several others at Target that I could have picked up.

But I decided not to let that happen.

So I asked this guy out.

Actually, I asked him to be my Valentine, because that makes it infinitely better in some weird way. And he said yes. Which totally blew me away. Made me want to kiss him, which isn't exactly new, but hell, in that moment, that's all I wanted to do. I guess I have to buy him dinner first but what the hell. Anyways, I have a Valentine now, though we're actually going out Saturday night and I'm going to an Anti-V-Day thing with my best friend, but still.

I like him though. He's complicated. Challenges me, but in the right ways. He's fucking adorable. Doesn't like labels. He's easy to talk to, nice to hug. I like his vibe. He's the relaxed chill personality to my off-the-walls-everywhere-and-then-some-at-the-same-time personality.

I'm looking forward to what the future will hold. With any luck, it'll be me holding him.

*Knock on wood*