So, you’ve decided to challenge yourself and take an honors class. Maybe even an AP or IB class. Whatever class you decided to take to further your academic endeavors, congrats! That’s great! And let’s say you’ve been going to that class for some time now. You feel good, your grades are good, you like your teacher, everything is great and it basically feels as if you’re floating on a cloud. However, it doesn’t have to feel like that. Every time you’re in that class, you find yourself surrounded by the smartest kids in your grade and suddenly you don’t feel like you fit. Trust me, this is completely okay.
If it’s your first time taking a challenging class, it can be hard adjusting to a new classroom with new people. This happens to everyone. Maybe you feel like your ideas aren’t good enough. Maybe you hear someone talking about their grade, college, SAT/ACT scores, amazing extracurriculars, how they’re finding endless cures for problems, etc. And maybe you think: am I good enough?
Let me answer that for you, yes. Yes, you are good enough. You deserve to be in that room just as much as they do.
I know that it is inevitable that you end up comparing yourself to others. But think about it this way: maybe they don’t know about Star Wars as much as you do, maybe they don’t get excited when you analyze the importance of a certain character in a book. The point is, you can learn from them and they can learn from you.
It is natural to feel out of place somewhere new. In fact, it’s good. It means that you are changing, growing, and best of all — challenging yourself.
This goes out to those who feel like they’re not enough. To those who feel like their ideas are not extraordinary enough. To those who sit in a classroom and feel as if everyone is already ahead. Take a breath. It is not a competition, no matter how competitive it seems. You’ll be okay. You will succeed, get that job and have a good life. This especially goes out to my seniors out there. College is not the end goal, it’s just another step. Even if you don’t get into your “dream school,” life will go on. You will go on.
Challenge yourself. Take classes that make you feel out of place. That’s good. You’re doing good.
Photo: CollegeDegrees360/Flickr
