Ever since I was younger, I always stressed myself out about the letter grade that would appear at the end of each quarter. The fear of failure was always in the back of my mind and haunting me like a ghost. “You don’t get dessert if you don’t get that grade up, Jadyn,” my concerned parents would say.

To be honest, I worked myself a lot harder than a child should’ve when they were that young when it came to my grades. I didn’t want to let anyone down. I was taught to get A’s and B’s. That was how to succeed in school. 

But I have learned that, at least in my eyes, that isn’t the case anymore. For so long I believed it was, that my grades were defining who I was and where I would get in life. But not anymore.

You are more than the amount of questions you get right on a test. It is absolutely unfair to expect kids to memorize a study guide and expect them to get a perfect grade. Not only is it unfair, but it puts way too much pressure on kids. 

This kind of stress only creates bigger problems, such as anxiety in the future. It creates a build-up of insecurities, at least it did for me, of not being enough. What you have to realize is that you can be successful, even if you don’t get straight A’s. 

Now does that mean you shouldn’t try? Absolutely not. So many students procrastinate and carelessly let their grades slip. It is so important to still try in school, but if you get a bad grade, it is not the end of the world, and it does not define who you are.

Although the grading system can be harsh and discouraging, remember who you are and all the accomplishments you have had and will have. Keep putting your best foot forward, and don’t sweat the small stuff. All you can do is try your best, and make no mistake, you are enough, despite the letters on a report card.