As exam week approaches, Bellbrook High School students are
undertaking studying for exams that are 20% of their semester grade. At a
time like this students spend hours poring over their notes, pulling their hair
out, and of course refilling their coffee at least three times. With the new
20-80 formative-summative grading scale, students are hanging on to their A’s
and B’s by a fingernail and these exams could make or break their semester. But
how much of a toll is this taking on students?
For the past week I have been a mad woman. Running on
trace amounts of coffee and toaster waffles, I have been a hot mess.
Teachers assign projects to do, papers to write, and tests to take. I come home
to angry, disappointed parents and end the evening in my room studying and start
the next the morning with a lecture on my time management. With parents
and teachers that “care so much about our future and success,” it’s hard to not
let their pressure of perfection get to you.
I constantly worry about having a 4.0, being the best athlete,
the nicest person, or all those silly unattainable things we worry about.
High school is an important time in life that is supposed to teach us about
balancing all these things but lately it seems like high school is teaching me
all the things I’m not. It’s taught me that I’m not smart enough, fast
enough, or good enough for college. While all these things are untrue,
it’s hard to not let all those doubts get to me. I used to believe my
teachers and parents were supposed to encourage me and show me all my potential,
but I’ve felt torn down by them and discouraged. So what’s a student to do?
When feeling like this, just remind yourself that it’s ok.
The point of high school is to realize all your failures. Don’t go into
exams expecting to get straight A’s. Although it’s said all the time,
just do your best and that’s all you can do. Your parents and teachers
just want the best for you, even though it may not seem like it, they’re proud
of you. So take a bubble bath, eat some ice cream, and relax.
You’re not perfect and never will be, so stop trying so hard to be something
you’re not. It’ll just end in disappointment.