What you need to know about grades..
Throughout my school career (if i can call it that way), I have noticed a very bad habit which had a big impact on the school atmosphere. This bad habit was competition in combination with stress. Students all around the school were working their brains out, doing their best ability in pleasing the teachers and the grading criteria.
Outside vs. Inside
Outside: The "perfect" student. Performing really well in all subjects, scoring high on all tests.
Inside: Grades, grades and grades. "Trying to please everyone accept for themselves".
The importance of grades: Social and relationships, health or schoolsucces?
Somehow, students are taught by society that the people with the highest grades will get the best successes. This applies up to a certain degree. The stress involved in the school system is actually ridiculous. Even though I really agree in the idea that challenge should always be involved to stimulate the development of the students, this amount of stress takes 'challenge' to a whole new level. They say that students can only choose two of the following things: social and relationships, health, and schoolsucces. Sadly, this statement applies to most of this generation of students. I don't think students should be putting their health on risk to perform well in school. Loads of hard working students, especially those in university, are skipping meals and sleep in order to please everyone but themselves. Even though I don't have a direct solution to this, the awareness of this concept should be enough to realise that the stress in school to perform well should not be affecting any of your passions or things you want to do to actually "live".
Competition, Envy, or Jealousy
At school, the number one thing that causes or stimulates a degree of anxiety is the competition involved. Because grades are numbers, which are measurable and easy to compare, students can easily compare one to another thinking that the higher the number is, the better. This is totally not true. Although it seems like that one student just doesn't put any effort in their work and still get an A* while you work your heart out and get a C, it isn't. This situation is really relatable for many students, and it is the spark to the eventual fire. Comparing yourself with other students might be a great motivation for you to work extra hard, but it could be driving you crazy when it doesn't seem to work out. Instead, try to work on your own improvements and develop your skills. While it seems like one person is better than you, secretly, that person also envies something you have that he/she doesn't have. Don't be anxious or fearing if it seems like you are the dumbest, worst, or the least talented in the group. These thoughts are all in your head and will eventually cause you to literally rip the heirs out of your head because of frustration.
