Finals week can be tough, but you are tougher

Remember that grades do not determine your worth

Photo courtesy of Faith Zatlukal

This winter season is so beautiful; the campus trees’ branches are graced with snow, holiday season cheer is spreading, everyone breaks out their warmest, comfiest sweaters… and prepares for finals. As finals approach and everyone begins to get their end-of-semester grades, it can be difficult to think about anything else. 

A lesser grade than you were expecting can make us feel down, sad, and confused. However, in an effort to keep ourselves doing well mentally and to preserve the beauty of the season, it is crucially important to remember one thing: grades do not determine your self-worth (even though it can feel like that sometimes). The Lamron has some thoughts on how to keep yourself calm. 

First off, remind yourself that you are only a human being, not an academic robot, and you do have a life outside of school. Grades, tests, and school certainly tend to take over from time to time, but if you need a mental health break, that is okay and it is necessary to take it! If your grade in a class is a bit lower because you had to miss a class (or two) or turn in an assignment late due to circumstances outside of class such as your own mental health, another priority, or a family situation, that is okay! 

All of this schooling, in the end, will mean nothing if you sacrifice all of your relationships, hobbies, interests, and your own mental health for it. Communicating with professors can be an excellent way to ease grade-induced anxiety, especially if there are understandable circumstances preventing you from getting a higher mark. 

Perfection is impossible to achieve. It is normal to get test questions wrong and make mistakes. You are still learning; you are a student! Yes, college can be expensive, but that does not mean you have to be perfect at it. In fact, much of college is learning what you are—and are not—suited for. Not doing great in a class can feel crushing in the moment, but think of it as a learning experience. It showed you something that you may not want to pursue a further path into—and knowing what you do not like is just as important as understanding what you do. 

No amount of studying can bring perfection on every test. As long as you are making the best possible effort you can without sacrificing too much of yourself, the results will come. The saying goes: everything happens for a reason. A bad test grade may actually help you create a stronger relationship with your professor, as you communicate with them on how to improve. Then, maybe, that same professor will help get you an internship down the road. Thinking positively is half the battle. 

It is very easy to criticize yourself during finals season and stress over grades, and many of us fall into the trap of comparing ourselves to others, wondering why our friend did so much better on all of their finals than us. Everyone has different paths in life. Especially in college, everyone is trying new things. Some people may find their niche faster than others. That does not put anyone else who is still looking behind; some things take time! Also, the workload from major to major can vary greatly. A person may just simply have fewer finals than you do, being able to dedicate more time to each one. If the major that you are in is helping you achieve your long term goals, it does not matter what anyone else’s college experience looks like. 

Some of us are naturally very good at presentations, while others are not. You might be a better test taker than your best friend, while they effortlessly nail every presentation. No one person is the same, therefore we will all receive different grades! We have one thing in common though: if we work hard, it is bound to pay off, no matter what roadblocks we have to overcome. 

Finals week is tough and we are simply humans. We cannot be perfect. Outside of classes, you have dreams, goals, stories, relationships, and passions. Those will be the things that continue to guide you throughout your life—not one test score. A grade does not determine your worth, or define who you are.