Editorials

#YEAR12PROBLEMS

8 May 2017

By Lauren E. White

Be the best you can be

As exams are rapidly approaching and the feeling you’ve already failed without even getting into the exam hall arises in your churning stomach, just pause for a few minutes and have a read of these 250-ish words I’ve got for you.

Exams are not everything – and that’s something I have to constantly remind myself of, never mind write about in a column. We are made to think that they are the proof of whether we’re a decent human being or a failure, there is no in between.

However, if you think about it, look at how we judge people. How many extremely intelligent people do we think of and commend them for being such a nice person? Er… not many. Those in government, for example, mostly study the prestigious Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE) degree at Oxford. Do we ever say “ah, they’re so nice”? Or do we mostly attack them for their cruelty towards others?

What we always judge people by is how kind they are. We remember people because of how they treated us, for better or for worse. That’s why it’s important to understand that if you don’t manage to pull off the grades you’re aiming for, that’s okay. There are plenty of other ways you can be the best.

You can always choose to be the kindest, the most compassionate and the most caring person in the room. In fact, we need more people who choose that option. They are who we really remember.

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