My grades are the only quantifiable measure of how well I’m doing. I check them constantly, whether it’s for validation or self-pity. I think many students care intensely about their marks without realizing it.
If you have physical symptoms or feel stressed more often than not because of school, you’re in obsession territory. I advise you to move away now. Your studies are worthy of your care and attention, but never to those extents. I believe the ideal compromise for us struggling students is to detach our identity from our grades. I want to explore several strategies to achieve this.
1. Hobbies
This piece of advice is inevitable because it tackles the root of the issue. If one undesirable grade can thwart your motivation, chances are, you’re unbalanced. Compared to your academic side, the other aspects of your life are likely shallow and undeveloped, in which case it’s an easy fix. Adopting new pastimes and interests is a lifelong process, so you can never be too late.
One approach is to look internally at your strengths. Find a creative outlet such as writing, drawing, crocheting, sculpting, filmmaking, playing a sport, and the list goes on. When you pinpoint a hobby that engages you and incentivizes you to improve, it tends to be a more rewarding experience than acing a quiz.
Alternatively, you can consume the creations of others. The world has a surplus of great music, cartoons, video games, books, movies, and television shows to sink your teeth into. A long, lazy binge-session might serve you better than the added pressure of learning a new craft.
2. Rationalize
When you receive a dreaded grade, ask yourself, what does this actually mean? Fight the problem at hand, not the monster you bred by overthinking.
What Does This Say About Me?
If you aggressively start doubting your abilities or think you’re regressing as a learner after every setback, I want you to internalize this: grades don’t represent intelligence. Instead, they represent specific skills that you can fine-tune. Memorization and reading comprehension recur throughout your academic career. If you have a memorization-intensive course such as Biology or Social Studies, I cannot endorse flashcards enough. By studying early enough in advance, you can guarantee that you know everything on those Quizlets. Then it’s just a matter of creating strong study sets that contain all the relevant information. Misinterpreting instructions is a common source of error, but you can limit this by exercising caution. No one is above slowing down and re-reading.
With that in mind, mistakes will still happen because your life isn’t confined to school. You may eventually deal with family and friend-related crises, or you won’t get sufficient rest one day. The sooner you stop imposing an image of perfection on yourself, the better.
What Does This Say About My Future?
For the people who wish to attend a post-secondary institution, you are well-aware of the difficulties. Grade 11 and 12 marks impact your Canadian university prospects, but that’s not to say the ten years of buildup aren’t stressful. There are mark cutoffs and competitive averages. As a Grade 10 student on the cusp of university applications, whenever my marks dip, it feels unforgivable. I know that if I make the same mistake two years down the line, there will be consequences that install a barrier between me and my dreams.
Although grades are an undeniable factor in post-secondary applications, the way you carry yourself is also crucial. Your extracurriculars and community involvement help convey your character to the admissions board, which partially compensates for a lower average.
“You can be successful without high grades” isn’t consolation for freelance workers. It speaks to everyone. Plus, if grades are what you want, you still have time to take care of yourself and get them.