It’s hard to live in Achiever World.
In achiever world, people get A+ like candy during Halloween, and getting a B+ is the end of the world and the entire human race.
In achiever world, being class president, being the entire student body president, being the teacher’s pet and being the Editor-in-Chief of the school paper is part of an average student’s life.
My classmates are creams of the crop. where most have the average grades of 1.50 to 1.00. They vary from achievers to overachievers that dedicate their lives to getting a Summa Cum Laude. They’ll cry a river if they got a 2.00 in their transcripts.
My classmates are active. So active that if they were given a chance to Join every single organizations in this University, they would.
And professors from our college have a good eye on our class. So you might say that it is an ideal class.
But one problem: I’m an exception.
The Simple Life
When I was still in High School, all I care about was living a proper life, following the rules, maintaining a decent grade, playing games on my free time and mingling with friends.
Pretty much, I was your average student who usually ranks 4 to 6 in class. And I really didn’t care.
I remember my High School classmates weren’t really savages for grades, including our class Valedictorian.
I’ll see her every once in a while holding her books, but never did I see in her eyes a blaze of desire for more grades. In fact, she was a piece of sunshine.
My competitors among the Top Ten students weren’t savages either. We all aim to do our best and study hard during exams. And that’s it. Next thing you know, we’re all back to our games and music trips.
One time, we even teamed up and helped each other during an quiz. The third honor student was whispering the answer to me, then I’ll pass it on to the fourth honor student and it goes on. I think the answers reached the entire class! And the teacher never suspected since honor students are supposed to be ‘honorable’ and have to set a good example.
It was insane, but fun. And this was my world.
The Battle for the Title
When I became a college freshmen, I thought that all the students would be like in High School — Carefree.
At first, they were careful with their grades.
But much to my surprise, as the years go on, my classmates don’t seem to handle low grades well. In fact, they were thirsty to achieve and impress professors. It’s like War of the Worlds in a classroom.
Grades aren’t everything. Getting a barely passing grade doesn’t mean the end of one’s life. And it certainly doesn’t mean that when you get a flat one, you are intelligent.
But society dictates standards.
No matter how hard I try to analyze and use the inner thinking that I’ve loved and been blessed with, it’s never credited. It’s always with the quizzes and the punishments and the written exams.
Truth is, with what they’re doing, I’m an idiot.
I know, I can’t even memorize a single sentence without having to repeat it five times. I can’t go to school early enough to catch the opening prayer. I can’t even do my news script in less than an hour. I can’t even get a good grade during recitation to my professor because I’m not her favorite. I always get a minus five for simply asking for instructions to a seatmate.
The only thing missing now is getting a minus 10,000 for being Aencille Avila Santos.
I know I’m an idiot. A forever loser who doesn’t even know how to get a 1.00 in my transcript. And I’m sorry I can’t be good enough for you guys.
The only thing I’m good at is ranting and overanalyzing things, which is never credited.
Truth is, I even wonder why I’m doing this news script right now in the morning if in the end, I’m going to get a 2.50 in my transcript.
All this… for what?
Welcome to Achiever World.
February 24th, 2010 at 12:01 am
ah yes, the achiever’s world. I’ve experience that when i was in elementary upto 2 year HS wherein i’m very careful with my grades and as much as possible they are high. Teachers plus parents expects highly of you which i began to love that feeling. And then i’ve experience failure for the first time and then i realize that, AS LONG AS I PASS attitude, it’s okay.
Now college, i’m still striving my very best to get high grades though i’m not really an achiever, As long as i pass, it’s okay, higher grade - much better! I’m not before that getting a grade of line of 7 will be the end of the world.
I have classmates like that. Since because they are TYK scholars, a grade of 2.00 for them is low. FOR ME, IT’S SUPER FINE! AHAHAHAHA~
But what discourage me now, in the battlefield of college life. People who don’t exert much effort can still pass a subject or even be able to level themselves to those exert so much effort to get high grades. “Kanya-kanyang diskarte nga, ika-nila.”
kaya siguro, DUMISKARTE ka na lang rin. Scholars?! School Leaders/representative?! CHOZ! ANYONE can achieve success 8DD
February 24th, 2010 at 10:03 am
I feel the same way. High school, everyone was relaxed but when I came to college, I met all these people that do everything (even backstab) to get their A. And don’t worry about grades, just do your best and know that you worked hard. We will all be proud of you
February 25th, 2010 at 3:13 pm
I was the other way around.
I was never really an achiever, just the average kind. Back in elementary and high school, I kind of like studying. I mean, I think I did study during those times. But in college, I wasn’t serious at all. I don’t really know what happened to me.
In the end, I quit college. And I do freelance web design at the moment. It’s way different from what I studied in college (Business Management). o_o
I agree with Xian! Anyone can achieve success! Even tho I can’t say I’m successful in life, I think what I do now suits me way more than being an.. office lady? LOL~
February 28th, 2010 at 2:31 pm
My gosh, you’re talking about my prep school - high school! Well not everyone was like that, there were a group of us though who were INSANELY grade conscious. Insanely. I remember that when I was in prep or grade school, I’d tell myself, hey Tiff, NO GRADE LOWER THAN 95 OKAY?? But high school changed everything sort of. I realized I wasn’t super smart. I was just lucky or what and I haven’t been enjoying myself lately. So I let myself digress a bit so from being a valedictorian in grade schook, I became the 5th of the batch in high school. But I didn’t feel bad though I felt that I should have pushed myself harder.
But I know I’m not intelligent.. I know I’m not… but I hope that I can be too someday… still a wish…
In college I’m doing well but not at the top of the class anymore, maybe the 5th again because I know that there are smarter people who deserve it more there…
March 6th, 2010 at 9:02 pm
Here’s the catch: don’t study if you are just aiming to have a high grade but study to LEARN. Just a realization I had after completing my school requirements. I got high grades but never in my entire life that I became teacher’s pet or what. What’s with grades anyway? And you’re right, it’s not everything, you know. Just do what you can do and you’ll be successful. That’s for sure.
Honestly speaking, I become disappointed once in a while when I get low grades.. especially when I feel like I don’t expect to earn that “low” grade.. But I never cry on them. LOL. I never knew people cry because of low grades, until you said it here. OA naman. Haha!
September 3rd, 2010 at 1:10 am
oi miss santos give us a review of what we discussed last meeting!!!!
hahaha XDD claasic..
aencille: goodmorning mam
Z-boss: MINUS 5!!!!
LOL XDDDDDD
