A new semester ushers in a sense of revitalization, and a drive to set a plethora of goals. For many students, the pressure of improving academically or maintaining academic “excellence” becomes the primary objective for the new semester.
Though improvement in any regard is admirable, it is crucial students do not allow academic validation to disorient their view of themselves or their relationship with learning.
For many, since early elementary, the pressure from school, family and society to shoot for perfect marks and gold stars can subconsciously prompt people to tie their self-worth and self-esteem to letter grades and percentages. Then, academic validation is born.
As someone who is “done well” in school their entire life, entering college caused me to reevaluate the way I view academic achievement. For a long time, getting A's in school reflected my mastery of the school system rather than mastery of a particular subject. I was not learning to my fullest potential.
Breaking out of that mindset is essential for getting the most out of education. College in particular is some people’s first time delving into subjects and passions they’re interested in. The resources, expertise and experience that can be gained should not be wasted obsessing over grades.
Focusing on grades shifts the point of getting an education from learning to passing. All the emphasis is placed on achieving a certain grade, and learning takes a backseat because the stress of doing well overtakes the actual learning process.
This mindset is only somewhat feasible from elementary to high school. Once people enter college and begin an academic journey tied to a profession or interest they want to pursue in the future, being able to retain and master the subject has to become a priority.
College GPA might be taken into consideration at an entry-level job out of college, but it means nothing if post-graduate employees do not do well enough at an entry-level job to advance onward. The focus during college should be retaining, understanding and comprehending what is being studied, not memorizing and discarding the information after achieving an A-plus or 100%.
This is not to suggest that refocusing educational priorities is easy. Academic validation is born from a culmination of external and internal pressures. People are pressured in a multitude of ways, such as wanting to do better than their parents, using academic achievement to overcompensate for other traits, wanting to be validated by others or pressure from peers.
Chasing high praise and adoration for grades that come with a significant amount of social and mental sacrifice becomes addicting. Living up to standards becomes more important than anything else. Subsequently, the internal stress of having or failing to maintain the idea of academic excellence, can leave a devastating blow on how people view themselves, their worth and their purpose. A “fall” in GPA can be even more detrimental if a person ends up with burnout and hardships.
It is imperative for students to maintain or establish a healthy relationship with their academic and educational life. Mental wellness and learning matter much more in the long run in comparison to a perfect GPA. To be here is to have value in this world. External or internal pressures should not define self-worth, nor should they take away from the joys of learning.
Dawnelle Blake is a sophomore studying Journalism at Ohio University Please note the opinions expressed in this column do not represent those of The Post. Want to talk to Dawnelle about their column? Email them at db948724@ohio.edu
