by John William Cadungog
College is a humbling experience.
It has been long past the preliminary examination season, yet I still feel its debilitating effects. I still vividly remember the feeling of sitting in the examination room where I found myself tired and weary from the sleepless nights of studying. Frustration crept in as, despite all the hopes and preparations, I just wanted to finish the exam already without any more regard left for my answers.
Deep down inside, I knew that I was not sufficiently prepared for my exams. Though, I still held onto the hope that maybe I can still get great results– a false affirmation.
Strangely enough, I did not find myself discouraged. Perhaps I was a little disappointed, but considering the little time I had to study, I was already grateful with what I could get.
This experience led me to reflect back on what my senior high school adviser said on navigating college life. He stressed that college should not just be focused on earning a high GPA, rather, it should also be about maximizing your potential by focusing on self-improvement.
Aiming for a high GPA is not a meaningless pursuit, simply put, we should focus beyond mere digits on how we experience college. How you live your life in college should not be restricted to exam scores.
Solely aiming to achieve a higher score or GPA has the tendency to limit our potential– a strange irony in academics. As much as possible, we must focus on how information and learning is integrated into our minds, applying into practice rather than just storing them as mere theories.
In truth, examinations just reflect the learning you have gained in a span of a few weeks. It does not determine the limit of your capabilities as a student. Hence, whenever you doubt your abilities as a student, always remember that you are still in the process of learning.
Therefore, look beyond the scores on your test papers and see the journey you are already on. Remember that what matters more is how you use your intelligence in settings beyond the four walls of the classroom.
