Mistakes. Slip-ups. Failures. Red faces of embarrassment. As students, we learn how to organize an essay, conjugate verbs in a foreign language, and somehow understand the all-too-complicated printers in the library. With over a decade of schooling behind us by the time we get to college, it is only natural that we forget some of the information we’re taught. However, there is one thing we learn that sticks with us from year to year: to be afraid of making mistakes in front of our peers and teachers.
We can all remember the times as kids when a teacher would ask if some of the “bigger” words on the page were too difficult to understand. Sitting there, wide-eyed and, frankly, embarrassed, we answered, “no.” Realistically, however, we had no idea what half of those more-than-four-letters— as big as that is—words meant. Now even in college, we continue to nod our heads mindlessly at professors. Terrified of the implications of failure, we mask our lack of understanding with the hopes that the Internet will be able to help clarify our misunderstandings later. With technology at our fingertips, it is even easier to shy away from confronting our mistakes. However, as tempting as it may be to surf the Internet for the answer to our question, we shouldn’t let Google assume the role of our teacher.
Although this unwavering inability to face our faults began in those early elementary years, this trend continued into our high school days. With the pressure of standardized tests weighing on our minds like the packed lunch and early-dismissal-note-filled backpacks that used to weigh on our shoulders, it was only natural that we continued to be afraid of making mistakes. Knowing that there was only one right answer (and no, it wasn’t always C), we feared the black and white nature of college entrance exams. However, success is not something that can be measured in a dichotomy of black or white answers circled by A or B on the SATs to a classroom mid-term. Success is built upon asking questions and admitting misunderstandings in order to build the gray that life is truly about.
So the next time a professor calls on you, shake off that perpetual fifth-grade dilemma of fear of being wrong and admit that you don’t understand. And even further, don’t be embarrassed to mispronounce a word in front of your classmates. Once you’re able to recognize your challenges and learn from your mistakes, you’ll surpass your fear of failure.