The Pressure of Straight A's

Grades: it’s the way in which our education system ranks our aptitude for school and learning. However, it has become more than something that our teachers use to put a qualitative value on the work and effort we produce in their classes; now, more than ever, grades are a source of pressure for many students who hope to hope to get into elite colleges, want to please their parents, or dream of fitting in with their school norms. Despite all this, why does a grade, often a simple letter or number, cause many students misery during their formative years and threaten a student’s sense of self-esteem?

As previously mentioned, the motivation for students to get high marks varies between individuals. Some do it for the challenge, others in the hope of receiving admission to elite colleges, and others out of the fear that their parents will be disappointed if they don’t bring home a report card with only A’s. These situations are what can cause teenagers’ immense stress over simple statistics. School in itself is often the greatest source of education for most youth, yet instead of focusing on the opportunity to grow our knowledge base, we get distracted by focusing on securing high grades. However, high grades shouldn’t define who someone is as a person and cause them great amounts of trouble.

For those of us with the mindset of not getting perfect grades means you failed, it is because we have accepted the notion that grades are truly the end-all-be-all of what defines us intellectually. With others, it’s because they feel unaccomplished if they can’t attain perfect grades. This mentality is something that is pushed onto us by all sorts of societal factors: our teachers, our parents, even the collegiate system. Because everywhere around us we see qualitative labels of value on food and services, we begin to accept the labeling of the intellectual value of a person.

Students who have continually achieved high grades with ease might not understand the effect of not reaching the same standards. It’s often the case that when a student finds themselves with a grade that they feel does not reflect their capabilities, they start to question those capabilities. This threat to self-esteem is amplified if students are getting reprimanded for the lack of high marks, which can cause students to feel even worse about themselves. Worst case scenario, this leads to a cycle of self-doubt and even worse performances in their classes.

Despite all the side-effects that come with labeling students with grades, they are still necessary in education. Thankfully, there are ways to minimize both the pressure and the stress. One important way is to have good organizational skills and time management. The sense of control and ease that comes with being prepared at all times is extremely helpful in preventing you from having additional mental stress. Something as equally important, even though some may see as counter intuitive, is that you need to take breaks from school. Machines can’t function working at max capacity for eternity, and the same can be said about you. Find an outlet to release your stress, such as a sport, hobby, or simply talking to your closest friends. It’s okay to not be constantly working, the assignments will always be there for you to pick up later once you’re feeling recharged.

Overall, It can be pretty easy to get stressed about grades and feel pressure all the time, but what helps is to clearly understand the reasoning behind your stress, and find ways to reduce it so that you do not spend your school years in a state of emotional destruction. Recognizing your motivations and why you want such high grades is an important step in developing self-awareness. In the end, if you want high grades to get into a college that will lead to a great career and equally great happiness in life, then why not focus on that happiness now as well?

Name: Genevieve Chin

Editor: Katelyn Clark

Photographer: Rebecca Chang