High School is considered one of the most stressful times of our lives. Applying to college, getting good grades, and reprinting the English paper that you left at home are thoughts that consume our mind. How are we supposed to do all of these things and still have fun? How are we supposed to get good grades at the end of the semester? The pressure to get all A’s at the end of the semester are extensive; we never hear enough about it from our parents and teachers. The one thing that most of us forget is that getting an A is well above the average. The average grade all around the United States is a C.

Getting good grades is something that we do not need to rely on to be successful. Sure, college is the preferred way to find jobs by some, but it is not the path for everyone. There have been many success stories about those who do not go to college. Everyone knows the story about Bill Gates dropping out of college and how he is now one of the most successful men in the world.

Even if you aren’t Bill Gates, you can do so many successful things, even when you get a B or C on a test. Grades are something that should not define us. Grades are something that are printed on a piece of paper and handed to your parents at the end of each semester.

What is more important for people to know about all of the things that make you, you. Colleges need to know that behind those Bs and Cs, there is the president of three clubs, an All American athlete, and the lead in every play. They want to see that you donate some of your prized possessions to goodwill and how you take every Sunday morning to volunteer at the homeless shelters. Those things make you, you. Grades are not something that you know a person by, you know a person by their smile as they walk past in the hallway.

Grades don’t define who you are.

In the end, are you really going to care that you got a 89.8% on a math test? Are you ever going to realize that getting that grade is also well above average?

Some might realize this but some might not. All that matters is that you should not spend every single breathing moment restudying for a retake to make your grade go from a C to a B, or even a B to an A. Take pride in your B that you have on a test. If you are upset about it, take it and let it motivate you to push yourself harder.

But, take more pride in who you are and where you want to be rather than an above average grade.