Why your success is never limited to your academic grades

Disclaimer: This article is not to dissuade you from working hard or getting a first. It is to remind you that you are worth more than numbers on a piece of paper. 

Picture it: It's the summer of 2018. Meghan and Harry have just gotten married, there's a record-breaking heatwave in the UK, and A-level examinations have never been tougher in England. Luckily, 26.4 per cent of students were awarded top grades for that year. Unluckily, I was not one of those students. 

Walking into the exam hall, on little-to-no sleep, I had no idea what to expect. All I remember is taking my results to the corridor, so I didn't have to open my potentially bad grades in front of my peers. And the results were in – D in Biology and C in psychology, the latter a subject I applied to study for in September. The tears quickly sprang, and the ruminating thoughts began on how I was going to handle my supposed university rejections. Thankfully, I wasn't alone, and my mum reminded me to check my UCAS status (note to reader: never open your results before checking your university application! This was not a very smart idea!) 

And to my surprise, I managed to get into my top choice despite my grades. Five years, and a bachelor's degree later, I'm wrapping up my Master's degree and am on track to finish with a merit. I'm currently researching the influence of psychosocial factors on stress in dangerous environments, using virtual-reality programming and physiological measures, which I've been really enjoying! I'm so fortunate that both my degrees have been such great experiences and it's completely changed how I approach learning for the better. 

However, if you look at my record, you'll see that I mainly achieved Bs and Cs throughout school. In my degrees, I mainly achieved 2:1s and occasional 2:2s and thirds. I did not always receive firsts, and I did not always get the top-level marks. But I can say with my whole heart that my academic experience has been incredibly rewarding. Why? 

Handling life's disappointments

Because it was never about my grades; it was about how I handled the inevitable downfalls that come with being a student. 

When I opened that envelope to find I had barely passed my exams, it was my mum who reminded me not to panic at that moment. Despite my grades, I still got into university to study a subject I had come to love. This was the first taste of what my academic experience would be like, but most of all, how to handle the disappointment of not getting the results you want.  

There are so many times in life, in academia and non-academia, where your efforts don't match the end-result you hoped for. Perhaps it's an assignment you pulled multiple all-nighters for. Maybe it's a friendship you poured so much time into. It can even be a job you worked so hard to get and realised that it's not the right one for you. There are moments in our lives where we strive for something that doesn't work out, but for every "failure" you endure, it is another step towards growth. And believe me, your success is never defined by one thing. 

Alongside my studies, I was a representative for my course and established myself as a reliable student who can help make change. I have volunteered in extra-curricular activities and been promoted to leadership roles. I gained experience in research because of my passion for psychology. I got a job which allowed me to support myself financially. I continued hobbies that made me happy, I showed up for my loved ones, and most of all, I continued showing up for myself. Though society has different ideas of what "success" looks like, to me, these achievements were more than that – they were pivotal to my personal and professional development. 

Grades are not everything

Because let's face it - there is this long-standing idea that once you're a student, your work becomes your life. Yes, your education matters, and grades do matter to a certain extent, but they are not everything. Good grades and the gratification you get from them fades away. When you take a look in the mirror, you realise they are a microscopic fraction of who you are as a person. In reality, you are the sum of what you love, who you love, and the things that bring you peace. By living a life outside of assessments and grades, I gave myself other opportunities for growth which in turn developed the confidence I needed to handle whatever academia threw at me. As we approach the summer exam period, this remains more important than ever. 

If you've read this far, and you're worried about your grades, always remember - you are just a human being, and like all 8 billion people on this floating rock, you are constantly growing, and you are worthy of success. Your grades will only ever make a small percentage of that. I am starting an incredible PhD opportunity in September, and I only wish my scared, anxious 18-year-old self could see how capable she is, and always has been.