by Timaya Pulliam ’23

“A grade does not define you.” Those are words of wisdom my mom has given me since sixth grade, but I often struggled to accept them even when I knew she was right. I have always been one to try to get all “A’s,” be involved in everything I could, and push myself to be “perfect”.

Perhaps the many years of dancing and singing contributed to that type of toxic thinking, as hearing quotes like “practice makes perfect” really set into everything I did. To be honest, sometimes that quote still gets the best of me.

In middle school, I only received “straight A’s,” so entering Sherwood as a freshman became a rude awakening. I experienced my first “B” in AP Gov, making me feel ashamed that I let myself and others down. I also recall my first test grade in APUSH, sophomore year, during the coronavirus pandemic. I pressed submit on my Canvas quiz and watched my grade appear as a 14 out of 26 (my first E ever). That morning, I finished class and ran downstairs crying to my mom about feeling like a failure. I ended up getting a “B” in APUSH that semester. The grades that I received in AP Gov and APUSH did not affect anything else in my life. This made me realize that every day is a new beginning.

I began to understand that the effort I put into studying and the quality of my work said more about me than my grades. The work that I do in the future and the impact that I make will be more important than a grade as well.

It can still be hard not to make grades the thing that matters most to me, but for the next four years and beyond I must remember that even though my education is important for what I want to achieve, I cannot lose my self-worth in my grades. I have learned more about myself and the approach to life that I want to improve. I have especially learned that perfection is not attainable, but the work I put in will always make the difference. A grade does not define me. I define me. I feel great walking into the next stage of my life, understanding and taking in the lesson my mom has taught me all along. I have come to learn that practice really does not make perfect, but instead practice makes progress.