It can be tough to stay confident in a difficult class. You may not always get the grade you’re aiming for. Oftentimes we’re stressed out and thinking about the worst case scenario if we do badly on exams. It can become all consuming and make us question our worth. These are a few affirmations that can help you get through classes with hopefully as much sanity as you had before the class started.
It’s not over until it’s over.
If you happen to get a bad grade on an exam, it doesn’t have to be a death sentence. Odds are, there are more exams or assignments that the professor has yet to put in. You can tell yourself, 20 times if you have to, that it is truly not over until that final grade is posted. Until then, you keep working hard for your grades. Go to tutoring 2-3 times a week, office hours every week, maybe even ask a friend for help. You can turn it around.
I’ve won so many other battles.
Everyone has a story. You’ve probably overcome some difficult situations in your life. It could be health problems, self-esteem issues, family problems, or just living with the hurtful things that have happened in your life. You can remind yourself that you’ve overcome so many things and this class is not the one thing that is going to define you.
Anything can be learned.
Feeling intelligent and capable can be difficult in a hard class. Perhaps this was a subject you’d normally be good at or it’s a subject that you want to get good in for a certain career. One amazing message from the founder of Khanacademy is that everything can be learned. He talked about how smart his son is and that he doesn’t like to praise him for it too much because he truly believes in the power of learning above all else. Learning is something to be immensely proud of. Hopefully you’re learning a lot in this class and find ways that you learn best.
My best is enough.
Sometimes it feels like your best just isn’t enough. The fear of failure can make people want to stop trying. A great thing to continuously tell yourself is that your best is enough. Putting your all into this is something to be proud of. Comparing yourself to others can do more harm than good. So it’s good to focus on your abilities and efforts and appreciate yourself for it.
I’m still valuable.
Grades are one of the many things that can break your self-esteem. So it’s important to know that you have so many other qualities and that you’re a valuable person first and foremost.
It’s important to hang in there and think of the big picture. So try your best and make the most of your classes and keep in mind that you’ll be okay.
Image credit: Her Campus Image Library