I won’t be able to bring this grade up.

There was a time when thoughts like this were constant in my mind.

Looking back on my freshman year, I am often reminded of the first time I received a bad grade on a Physics assignment. Since I am a perfectionist, my natural instinct was to freak out. Despite the persistent voice in my head, I would later realize that one grade does not define you, and it is normal to make mistakes from time to time.

In addition to my desire for perfection, Mount is known for being an academically rigorous school with highly intelligent students. With this reputation in mind, I was regularly reminding myself that I couldn’t screw up at all. However, it is vital to realize that it is OK, and, frankly, inevitable to mess up.

During my junior year I had a revelation after I failed a history quiz in the beginning of the semester. Although I didn’t do as well as I had hoped, I understood that it is only one grade and it would not matter by the end of the class.

In addition to this a-ha moment, there were other assignments that were rather troubling, especially with my aspiration for perfection. One instance of failure would be when I failed an Algebra II test. Because of this moment, I was overwhelmed with the fact that I had to try extra hard to boost my grade for the class.

The same thought from freshman year rang in my head, but I have discovered I need to change my mindset from negative to positive.

Instead of hearing the negative voice in my head, I started telling myself, I have time to pull my grade up, and I can always ask for extra help if necessary. I viewed this grade as a learning opportunity, and a chance to improve how I should study for future tests and quizzes. This ultimately paid off in the end. I realized that in order to succeed in Algebra II, I needed to ask questions and seek help whenever possible.

In spite of what you may think, perfection does not exist. Because of this truth, there are going to be times when you make mistakes. There will definitely be occasions when you tell yourself “I won’t be able to bring this grade up.” You do not have to be scared of one bad grade, because in reality, it does not matter. Just remember, don’t sweat the small stuff.