Despite being 10 years old to my 20, my brother is better at science than I am. It’s a fact that I laughed at when I first realized it and a fact I am completely comfortable admitting to. He excels in science enough for the both of us, just as I excel enough in English for the both of us.
Unfortunately, as a part of my college degree requirements, I have to take general education courses, which include three courses in science, math, and technology. Cue the stress and mini-mental breakdowns.
Now, just because I was stressed didn’t mean I didn’t put in the work for my Geography class. I did the assigned reading, I attended lectures and sections, I did all the assignments and weekly quizzes, and even made flashcards!
I asked questions when I was confused and made sure to participate as much as I could. And when the time for midterms came, I filled out the bubbles on my ParScore form with the confidence that I’d at the very least be getting a C+ if not a B. And yet, I found myself barely passing each time the test was returned to me.
At first, I found myself incredibly upset, obsessing over what it was I did wrong, what more I could do to better understand the material I thought I had already understood.
It wasn’t until a week or so ago, when the quarter was coming to an end, that I thought to myself, “I did everything I possibly could to succeed. Just because I didn’t ace the test does not mean I didn’t put in the effort and the work.”
Oftentimes, failure is synonymous with not having tried hard enough, or not having put in the work. But the truth is, you’re not always going to be the best at everything, even when you try your best. Some things you are excellent at, and other things you’re just not.
I happen to be excellent in English, or any type of literature class, but terrible in any science class. And I’m okay with that.