It’s almost exam time and I know a lot of people are stressing and drinking and avoiding work because they are afraid of failing or doing worse than they anticipated.
I’m here to tell you it doesn’t completely matter.
Yes, grades are pretty important. Depending on your career path, they may be crucial (e.g. med school). But they are not the only road to success.
Your education in itself is not going to make you successful.
First of all, your education is what you put into it. It is not JUST high grades (though it can be that, too). Your education entails how much you have retained beyond just a test. It also should define a clearer picture of what you’re interested in and how you can pursue that. For instance, you might have started university with a general interest in biology, and now, in your later years of university, you find yourself caring less about genetic recombination and more about marine life and environment sustainability.
What you learn in the classroom alone is not all that you will need to be successful. You need to develop skills beyond just taking notes, memorizing, writing essays, and/or public speaking. That’s why extracurriculars are so important. Also, reaching out to profs and participating in local events (associated with your program or not; e.g. Book Fest) is going to help you a lot in terms of networking, work experience, and developing some interests you didn’t know you had that could give you an edge that future employers seek.
This isn’t supposed to be daunting at all. It’s not so much that you have to worry about doing extra ON TOP OF studying like crazy and getting good grades. Although university is hard and time sensitive, students put added pressures on themselves because they think life is supposed to play out a certain way.
What do you think is more important to a future employer? A 70 average, good connections, and interesting work experience? Or a 90 average, next to no work experience, and only a recommendation letter from a prof? Both of these are great, don’t get me wrong, but if you are struggling with grades because the education system doesn’t have a way of defining your strengths, then define your own strengths by doing those extra things.
You can gain more independence in the classroom, too. I study English literature and so I have a lot of essays to write. Some profs make you come up with your own argument, while others suggest essay questions for you to form a thesis around. When choosing from essay questions, I’m not the sort of person to just choose the easy one. I have to be interested in it or I won’t do it (and no one wants a 0 on an essay worth 30% of their grade). Unfortunately for me, this usually means I choose the hardest one because there are a lot of different things to consider, more to write about, and in the long run it’s easier for me even if it takes a lot more prep time. I’m in it for the good grade, yes, but that’s not my only motivation. I’m also interested in learning more about what I love and to expand my mind to regions I want it to, not just limit my thoughts to what will get me a good grade.
I failed in that in my creative writing courses. I wanted the good grade. I didn’t want to try something original or different because I didn’t want my marks to suffer because of that. So I played it safe and didn’t do anything incredible. I’ve learned my lesson because that’s not why I took creative writing. I took it to become a better writer, not to simply get a good grade.
Think back to when you started your program. Why did you choose it? I hope it’s because you were genuinely interested in that field. You wanted to learn more, do more, and experience more.
So now, in this time of the year when we’re all stressing about exams, take a moment to remind yourself why you are here. Do not feel heavy under the pressure of having to have good grades. Do not feel numbed by the fear that your future will not look like you think it should. Instead get passionate again, learn more, get interested, get involved.
Your education is what you make it, but it doesn’t exist just in the classroom.