A mark on your paper isn't your life and death...

Most of us unfortunately believe that the way that we perform at school is the way we perform at life. We think that everything that happens at school will determine our future, when it doesn’t. No one’s opinions, or view or belief about you can predestine your future life, whether it’s your parents’, your teachers’ or your friends’. At the end of the day a mark on a piece of paper for one subject that you are studying isn’t life and death. Grades aren’t more important than you or your entire well being and, it doesn’t lead to a certain destiny. If you don’t get a good grade one exam you won’t be homeless. The point I am trying to make it here is that yes, marks are somewhat important but they aren’t everything, they shouldn’t be the centre of your life and you shouldn’t beat yourself up about not getting the perfect scores or the grade that you wanted. Because, it’s really the effort that counts. If you keep on working hard, putting effort in then you will see results.

None of us know what the future holds and all of us have different strengths, weaknesses and talents, just like we all have differing futures and paths ahead of us. Grades on our test won’t define that for us. Amazing grades doesn’t guarantee us a happy and healthy future. Wouldn’t you rather be happy doing something you love rather something you hate. So, I am here to tell you to follow your passion and your soul breathes, whether it’s music, art, sciences or languages. Follow it because it is that passion that warms your heart the most and it is that passion that gets you up in the morning that will help to pave out your path.

School measures our ‘success’ by numbers on a paper when life is so much more than that. Life is truly about the journey and process not all about the destination. Your results don’t tell you how smart you are, just like how the number of followers on your social media accounts doesn’t define your self-worth. Grades really matter to you when the subject matters to you. In life grades are temporary but the education and the skills you have learnt are stuck with you and permanent. So please don’t pressurise yourself or let others pressurise you either. All you can do is try your best and participate in life and at school, and there isn’t just one particular door that is open for you and your future, there are many, so be open-minded, and take as many opportunities that come your way.

Everyone learns in different ways but even so, everybody is taught and tested the same as if they think the same as everyone else. Life is the most difficult exam. We spend a lot of our time on the theoretical and tactical parts of school, but we do not spend enough of our time on the creative and practical parts of life. But, in reality life is more like a practice test. When you make mistakes, you earn from them and anything you missed can still be taken again and experienced. You can change the script any time, or make a costume change and then get back up onto that stage and shine, expressing your passion to others, not afraid of judgement or the fact that you are different. Embrace that difference, don’t be limited by society. Your path is unique so don’t ever, ever trade it for any less.