Meier 1 Kaylee Meier Ms.

Gardner Honors English 10, 0 period 31 October 2013 Social Expectations of Getting Good Grades How many times a day do we hear the sentence You must get good grades in school in order to succeed.? My fellow students, you are not alone if you hear this phrase multiple times a day. After we hear this numerous times, it begins to dig deep into the depths of our skin and the pressure eventually overwhelms us. We are led to believe that if we dont achieve As or Bs in school, well be unsuccessful as adults. We also begin to selectively hear the words our parents say; after all, it will be the same speech repeating itself, similar to Persephone and the never-ending cycle of the seasons. This pressure consumes our whole mind. Our parents are a broken record, constantly repeating the same phrase. The pressure to achieve good grades in school has been significant throughout generations. For example, Bill Gates, founder of Microsoft, never graduated high school. This can also be said for Albert Einstein, Nobel-prize winning physicist. The foundation a child was raised upon is the determining factor of their study skills as an adult. If a child throughout elementary school plays video games as opposed to spending more time on their homework, chances are they will do the same as a teenager, if a child watches television instead of studying for a test, chances are they will do the same when important tests, like the SATs or ACTs, and if a child spends more time socializing with friends, chances are they will be more inclined to go to a party with their friends instead of writing an essay for a class. However, if a child spends an extra ten minutes checking their homework, it will be instinctual to do the same as a teenager.

Meier 2 This cause-and-effect reaction sets the foundation for a students study habits and decides whether or not they will be able to handle the pressure. Although parents will continue to pressure students into achieving good grades, there are ways to spread the focus through extracurricular activities. In his speech, Senator Chuck Grassley says this quote: What makes a child gifted and talented may not always be good grades in school, but a different way of looking at the world and learning. Grassley is on point when he says this because every student thinks differently. While one student may be excellent at solving algebra problems, another might memorize piano pieces the first time they hear it. If a student plays a sport, dances, or plays a musical instrument, the focus will be equaled throughout all activities. I speak from personal experience because I deal with the pressure from my parents on a daily basis, but because I play four sports and volunteer in various locations, the frustration is not as prominent if I get a B- or C on a test. Although parents will still be frustrated if you fail a math test, you can diffuse the frustration by politely reminding them you were volunteering at an animal shelter for three hours, therefore taking up study time. This could be the solution to the problem, but it is not the most enticing solution. Though extracurricular activities are important, parents could say that sport practice is preventing the student from getting good grades. Similarly, parents could say that regardless of that fact, it is important for students to participate in activities. Every parent would be correct by saying this, but there are ways to have that balance of extracurricular activities and good grades. The hard work is a possibility, but that possibility requires hard work. In conclusion, I ask all of you to keep this in mind while deciding to hang out with your friends or study for another hour. I also ask you to keep this in mind when youre debating on whether to try out for a sport. Your parents will likely be more accepting if you dont get that

Meier 3 A on your history test, or if you miss a homework assignment. Also, every time you feel like quitting because the pressure is taking over, I remind you to keep pushing forward. If you put effort into your schoolwork, that will pay off in the long run. From Harvard University to Chico State, from Stanford University to Sonoma State University, or even from Yale University to Sacramento State, you will be successful no matter what college you decide to go to. As Winston Churchill said, Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.

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