Midterms can be one of the most emotionally exhausting times of the year. Anxiety, stress, and low self esteem seem inescapable and (especially for freshmen) the onslaught of work can be overwhelming. After having gone through multiple mid term weeks and survived, I’ve come to recognize a similar set of pervasive myths that seem to latch on at this time of year. With fall break fast approaching, here are four of the most pervasive myths that pop up this time of year.
Our health is secondary.
No. No no no no no. Believe me, I know how hard it is to shake off the temptation to sacrifice our well being for our grades, especially during freshman year. In academic institutions, where grades seem to make or break it, it feels like our academic evaluations deserve to take priority over our health, that calling it quits on an all-nighter or taking a break after a grueling study session is for wimps. I assure you, it’s not. College is four years, your body is for the rest of your life – it makes sense to invest more in your health than your grades.
Our grades are the primary measures of our worth.
Grades are just impersonal evaluations. They don’t take into account passion, dedication, character, homesickness, illness, emotional well being, creativity, or myriads of other factors that have a profound impact on your life. They simply take into account knowledge in a particular subject at a particular point in time. People all around the world get bad grades all the time, and, contrary to what that annoying and voice in your head is saying, you are very likely not the worse off person in your class. Nearly everyone is as lost as you, if not now, then at some test or essay in the future.
Our grades are static and I’ll never get into grad school/ med school/find a job, etc.
Even if you do badly in one class and end up with a less than stellar GPA, it is more than possible to bounce back from failure. While jobs and grad schools do place importance on academics, it is not nearly as much as we tend to think, as factors such as extracurriculars, teacher recs, and other demonstrations of passion and interest in coursework do factor into admissions and job decisions. Also, you’re at college to learn, not just to score. You are here to become a more well rounded and educated individual, not just a test scoring machine.
I don’t need help.
If you are crying constantly, are not getting enough sleep, frequently doubt your self worth, or just feel incredibly overwhelmed all the time by course work, grades, etc, an hour or two of counseling can do a world of good. Please be good to yourself and talk to friends, rectors, family, University counseling, anyone you feel can understand your situation and can help you navigate these feelings. Don’t for one second believe you should forgo getting some help just to reach a couple of deadlines, especially if you feel you might be suffering from mental illness. You might be like me and believe you are burdening people by opening up about your problems. YOU ARE NOT. You are not alone in this struggle, you are not bothering anyone by seeking help, and you should really stop being so hard on yourself.
Remember to always be kind to yourself. In a culture that teaches us that our worth lies in our ability to remain useful to society, loving and caring for yourself is a radical thing to do. So take care, take a breath, and learn to love yourself amidst the chaos.
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