Let’s Talk About Grades
When I was in first grade, I was a no one, I don’t get into the list of the brightest pupils. I hated my subjects especially Math. My grades were between 80 to 88, sometimes they even go lower than that.
And then, in grade two, I had two friends, unlike me, they always got in the top ten, but I was not never treated as an outcast. They accepted me like a real friend. Actually, we didn’t talk about our grades much. We just discuss them during the first time we see them, having me with the lowest average. But that did not really matter.
It was only during my fifth grade when signs had started to came out that I have an aptitude in Math. I can still clearly remember that our lesson back then was about prime and composite numbers. I was the only one who was able to identify that a very high number was in fact divisible by seven, thus, making it a composite number.
During the gap from second to fifth grade, I really struggled very hard with my subjects especially in Wika and Pagbasa, where I always get a grade of line of seven in my report cards. I also had a hard time with English, History, and even — believe it or not — in Computer. Sometimes, the thought of having to go to school during summer haunted me. Fortunately, I didn’t fail in any of my subject. Throughout the years, my best friends were always there for me. I did not feel that I was alone no matter how low my grades were at that time.
And then, I graduated from grade school satisfactorily. Having Math and MAPE as the subjects where I really excelled at. But my persistence in studying was not enough to earn an academic award. What I only got was a Loyalty Award.
That wasn’t really enough, what I want was an award that is related with academics. But at least, that was a good start, isn’t it? I had the feeling on how to go up the stage and receive my award. Unconsciously, I had set my mind to aim for high grades… be conscious with my grades. I think I was inspired by my best friend to aim for an academic award. And I didn’t know about it until I was in Fourth Year High School.
When I was in third year High School, I noticed that there were significant changes in my grades. No more line of sevens, lesser grades of line of eights, and more of line of nines. At the end of junior year, I think I was the top 11 of the batch. It was really good.
And then, in my fourth year, suddenly, everything has changed. From the first quarter of that school year, I was already the top three of my batch. I was acing most of my subjects. And that continued until I graduated. And all of these had resulted to a sweet and delicious fruit… I graduated with honors, I was the First Honorable Mention of my batch. But that was not all, I even got the Best in Math and Physics, another Loyalty Award, and other certificates. On the day I graduated, I was smiling all the time, stretching my muscles wide as I can. It was a splendid day.
I’m sharing this not because I want to brag, I wanted to — I don’t know the word — shall I say, inspire you with my story. I was able to prove to my self that you can reach what you like if you really want it. Every hurdle would just be chocolates in our eyes, ready to be munched and devoured. All we need is an inspiration. There’s no harm in trying, there’s nothing wrong in dreaming, because you don’t know that someday, that dream that you have tried to achieve will become a reality. But most of all, we have to remember that God is always there, He is just a prayer away, ready to help us.
PS: Yes, I know, this is not timely. I don’t know what made me think to write this and as I will lose my interest in writing this if I would wait even just for a day, I chose to share this to you now.
LSS: The Postal Service - Suddenly Everything Has Changed
July 28, 2007 @ 9:28 pm
Believe it or not, I was a consistent 1st honor student back in grade school. And I was also named valedictorian of my entire graduating class come grade 6. WTF, right? My high school years were so-so. Received acad merits like there’s no tomorrow. But unlike you, I didn’t graduate top of my class. Competition was tough as nails back then. College came. Every now and then, I became part of the dean’s list, not consecutively though, because, um, let’s say that I kind of relished the “extra freedom” that it had to offer, and that’s also the point where I stopped being really grade conscious and stuff. But I came out intact, thank heavens.
Anyway, mazel tov to you. I bid you beaucoup luck on the rest of your Uni life! And remember: Grades aren’t everything!
P.S. Maybe we should form a mutual admiration club or something. WTF.
July 28, 2007 @ 9:38 pm
when i was in elementary, i was somehow a consistent top of the class, got an award, a few medals, and won some contest. highschool came, and unlike talamasca who found freedom during college, i found it during my freshie days.
college for me was more of a goodluck.
July 28, 2007 @ 10:22 pm
I was a grade conscious kiddo and I used to receive academic recognitions. What’s consistent with me is that my standing goes down the drain every year. No kidding. I don’t know. Maybe it’s the lazy side of me.
July 29, 2007 @ 4:48 am
I used to bean honor student before I transfered to another school in grade three. That was when I enjoyed studying… pero nung lumipat ako parang naging burden yung pag-aaral but I usually was part of the top twenty… Never had a line of seven in Elementary..pero nung highschool, mas lalo akong nagrelax. I’m a bad student. LOL
July 29, 2007 @ 10:54 am
that’s so cool, pataas ang academic life mo.. akin… err.. pababa? lol. I’ve always been on the honor roll, but ever since pumasok ako ng masci, wala nakong gana mag aral, because i hate that school so much.. *shivers* I dont want to fail, pero kung kaya ko lang gawin, ibabagsak ko grades ko para malipat ako ng school…
July 30, 2007 @ 9:24 am
para kang si… uhmm.. isaac newton. newton was a nobody before. low ang grades niya and everything.. tapos tinutukso pa siya noon. pero one day he decided he can do better and not fail… kaya ayun.. he excelled academically. ;p
it only takes a decision…. kung gusto mo talaga… and then take some action.. magiging maganda ang results.
July 30, 2007 @ 11:25 pm
Yeah, it feels so good when you graduate with a medal. When I was in Kinder, I graduated with honors. Grade school was a bit tough for me, because I transferred schools.. so I only managed to bag a Spelling Bee award. High school, well.. I enjoyed it too much. Haha! I wasn’t expecting to bring home anything, but I managed to bag a Academic Achievement Award, which means I didn’t have a grade lower than 85 during my high school years (1st to 4th).
College. Well.. let’s not talk about it. :))
–
I agree with Tala. Grades aren’t everything.
Good luck.
July 31, 2007 @ 7:30 am
that’s really good for you…. all students are like that they aim for high grades except for those who hate school. And beside, you should start thinking outside school um, wait, are you in college now? if you are, then yeah grades aren’t everything
July 31, 2007 @ 9:32 am
Wow good for you.
Ang mahirap lang sa ganyan e yung may mga kalaban ka sa honor roll tapos siyempre kumpitensya. Minsan pressure. May mga naka-”sagupa” akong ganung tao e. Haha! Ang mahalaga lang e yung nag-eenjoy ka talaga sa mga ginagawa mo.
BTW, Pakipalit po ng link. Sasarado ko na Go Elyen.
July 31, 2007 @ 1:38 pm
oh! I was one of the brightest students since elem - college but I got tired of studying so I quit. I don’t know. it’s an issue versus myself i guess.
have you watch the correspondents episode about gifted children? Shaira Luna doesn’t go to school now - she’s , yeah, undergraduate. She’s currently a freelance photographer.
Err, I don’t know if that’s OT. I just want to share.
July 31, 2007 @ 2:48 pm
Ah, this is an interesting post.
Me, when I was in Kindergarten up to Grade 3, I was always the first honor in class. Then my parents decided to transfer me to a public school, for more “challenge” I presume. I learned to face the real world then. Until now, I never regret that day. In fact, I’m quite sure that I wouldn’t be in this stage right now if my parents didn’t decide to do the [right] thing.
August 2, 2007 @ 2:01 am
that’s a really inspiring post. Tells readers that you can be what you wanna be regardless of your past experiences.. since past experiences do help you in excelling in the future. Keep persevering.. i guess.
In my younger years, i was usually at the top too.. and fortunately, i still am.
thanx to my fellow classmates and parents for the inspiration and encouragement. It really helps 
August 3, 2007 @ 5:14 pm
I am not part of the top ten or whatever in my class since I am lazy. The teachers always say that I am smart but just dont care about my lessons. I usually find myself excelling on extra curriculums instead.
But your story is indeed inspiring and it allows people to persevere and achieve what they wanted to achieve
August 4, 2007 @ 1:36 am
Baligtad pala tayo. Nung elementary ang galing galing ko. Tapos nung nag-high school na ako sa science high school. Natanga ako.
Eto nasa UP na ako. Tanga pa rin. Well, at least UP diba?! hahaha!
August 4, 2007 @ 12:58 pm
yap kakatulong ang lower grades to challenge us to do better, diba? unless pa-down ka sa nangyayari ah matatalo ka talaga. nice that you choose to be challenged!
August 5, 2007 @ 10:16 am
I don’t go after grades. As long as alam kong natututo ako, yun ang mahalaga sa akin..
August 5, 2007 @ 9:34 pm
Baliktad ako. My yearning for high marks sort of diminished as I grew older. I always land on the first honor spot when I was in pre-school up to 1st grade. When I was in gradeschool, I was always in the top 5/top 10. But when I was in HS, my only academic achievement was to be a part of the pilot section every school year or to be occasionally included in the top 20 of our batch. Then when I was in college, I still had good grades but I never made it to the dean’s list. I don’t know, maybe I just realized that intelligence could not really be demonstrated through rote and blind memorization. And I know someone who’s a dean’s lister from 1st-4th year college but I can never even begin to imagine having an intelligent discussion with her.
But anyway, you are correct. Deciding to achieve something is the very first step to achieve something. One of the reasons why some students get low grades is that they do not really want to have high grades. If they do, they should have already done something about it.
August 8, 2007 @ 4:40 am
No permanent school ako eh; I almost always move from one school to another. Geesh, I hate school. Nope, I didn’t graduate with honors except when I was in nursery, but I was a pretty good student. The mystery always lies on how I pull acads off when I hardly ever study and I absolutely have no care whatsoever about grades. Always have, and always will NOT care about it.
Have I mentioned I hate school?
August 8, 2007 @ 4:29 pm
Grades. It makes me sad to be reminded of my straight flat 3 grades. =P
August 29, 2007 @ 3:52 pm
actually di naman mahirap mag-aral. Yung mahirap lang naman is “how you find concentration”. tingnan mo ako.. i can concentrate.. at di lng un, i finished elementary as the CLASS VALEDICTORIAN AT THE AGE OF 9 YEARS OLD.
AND I ALSO FINISHED HIGH SCHOOL AS THE CLASS VALEDICTORIAN AT THE AGE OF 13. see! basta mgsisipag ka maaachive mo mga pangarap mo!
And my average? 96.89! sinabi ko ito not because ngmamayabang ako but to inspire anyone who read this… khit bata ka kaya mong talunin ang mga mas matatanda sa iyo. tawagin man nila akong BANSOT and PASLIT, MATALINO NMN!
October 1, 2007 @ 12:09 am
The hard part in going to school is waking up so early. I enjoy school not because I love to study but because everyday you learn something not just in the books but in life experience and acquintance. I believed that most of the honor students are just bookish, they are the one who are employed and seldom have a business after they graduate, because they are intelligent but not clever. I know because in our family I’m the only 1 who is not a honor student, i never fail but I’m the only 1 who have a business and earn more money than my siblings who are valedictorians. I just want to state that gaining a honor is not as important as everybody thinks, the important thing is you’re not dumb and you can earn money more than anybody else.
October 9, 2007 @ 5:08 pm
I am also an academic achiever and grade-consicous. I topped on my batch during high school.