Today, PSAT scores came out. They've been mentioned in almost every one of my classes, with many classmates asking me: "what did you get?" followed by their own score. I hadn't been able to check until I returned home. It turns out, I got a score that's lower than all of those I've heard today, despite trying my best. I've even scored much lower than people who are doing much worse than me in terms of classes.
My school is one of the top performing schools in the state, and probably one of the best in the nation, which is both a blessing and a curse. At this point in my academic career, I can't stand the pace of most regular classes, which is probably the result of being pushed to do great things since elementary. However, I'm in a weird, middle passage for classes; I'm not smart enough to be taking a ton of APs or extracurriculars, but I also work too hard to take normal level classes. This puts me in a place where I'm surrounded by people of varying backgrounds, the majority of which are upper class people, in terms of wealth, who focus a large amount of time on their academics and standardized tests. In my opinion, this creates a very toxic environment, where students are judged based on a number, whether it be their grade or SAT score. This creates an environment in which students jockey for points, rather than truly learning or enjoying the subject. At one point this year, my history class went into an uproar over somewhere around five points in a game, which was designed to give only a third of the class full points, and a statistics class cheated almost for a full semester on their tests; at another point in my sophomore year, students made a petition to the teacher regarding a test or essay in which many received a grade less than an A.
I didn't ask to be put in this competitive environment, to be placed under this stress. In fact, I prefer having friends who don't have their lives defined by a letter or a number, and from my experience, these friends aren't the ones taking six AP classes or getting 2400s on their SATs.Twitter On the other hand, they're not the people who smoke daily or just sit at home, using all of their time playing video games 24/7. Rather, they're the people who care enough about their grades that they work hard for them, but they also don't let them define their lives. They care more about people and their own passions, and are a rare breed. I do admit that I don't fall into this category, but I wish I did.
If you tell someone that you're average, there's a good chance that they'll tell you "no, you're not! You're amazing at this, this, and this." That's okay; they're just being a good friend, and everyone feels sad– some just show it more than others. However, there isn't any shame in being average, or in feeling that way. Being average doesn't mean you're stupid, or a failure, or not good enough. No, it isn't about that. It means that you're trying, which is the most important thing. It means that you believe that you can improve yourself, and maybe one day not be average. It means that you care about doing what's right, and that you care about people and that you're not defined by just a number.
But, despite this, colleges and other institutions don't care. They say that essays like this can show who you truly are, and that your grades and test scores aren't that important. This probably isn't true. Standardized tests were created to quantify traits that aren't quantifiable, and make it easy to tell who's "better", in terms of numbers. However, they can't always show the real person; anyone can find out exactly what to say and do in order to appear the best, when in fact, they aren't.
In my own opinion, I'm just an average person. Sure, I have a 4.0, but that doesn't mean anything. Actually, I've never won any real awards or honors in my life until last year, when my team got second place for the science fair. However, I believe that even the most average person is destined to do something great. Think about it– in shows, movies, books, the protagonist is always a regular Joe, just going through the grind of regular life. Despite this, some kind of event happens, whether it be he or she meets the love of their life, experiences a tragic event, or somehow ends up in an unfamiliar place, and as a result, that regular Joe becomes a hero and breaks free of their average life. We're all that regular Joe, hoping for something better. However, we'll all experience that life-changing event sometime in our lives, some earlier than others.
The point is, though, that we're all average in a way. If we're all unique in some way, then aren't we all the same? We're all capable of expanding our horizons, and of being the best possible person. High school isn't about getting the best grades and test scores to go to a college with a great name. It's about learning what you love, and doing it with friends who'll support you. In relation, life isn't about becoming the wealthiest, successful person out there. It's about accepting who you are, loving what you do, and doing what you can to help others. Even though most of us– including you and me– are normal, we all are bound to achieve something. Being unique doesn't matter. What does matter, though, is your actions and how you survive.
Carry on.
No comments:
Post a Comment