When I was in kindergarten, I was known as the smart kid. I got principal’s honor roll every quarter, had all A’s, and always did my work. My parents were so proud of me. My teacher even suggested they put me in a spelling bee. Throughout the majority of elementary school, I got good grades and was always on top of my academics. But then, school got hard. My parents always ask why I used to not get perfect grades. My mom reminisces about how I used to read. My thing is, how can you ask me why I’m not getting grades like I was getting in elementary school. Did we forget one thing… that kindergarten is easy as hell? I literally never tried. Not that I wasn’t extremely smart or I didn’t do what I was supposed to do, because many other students in my class didn’t get as good grades as I did. When I got to middle school I didn’t start getting all A’s until the end. This is because it took me that long to understand that I had to work really hard for my grade. In high school, I realized that I took that for granted because life hit me way harder. So now I basically have all A’s. I guess it’s not about how you get there, but about whether or not you get there at all. I reminisce about the times when I was praised for getting amazing grades. then I look at the people around me and wonder why it is that no matter how much I try, my grades aren’t as good as theirs. By the time I started taking geometry(when I got to high school), I stopped thinking I was smart. Because I Tried, I really did. The annoying part about school is the fact that I stay up at night just to get work done (which a lot of people wouldn’t do), and I still have one grade that isn’t an A. So it’s crazy when my mom is like whaaat, why do you have all A’s and one C??? You don’t even know I’m fighting for my life here. And when come home with all A’s, all they’re gonna say is good job and move on with life.
Unruly Bodies 
I completely relate to this post, maybe just in a little twist. Growing up all the way until high school, I never received a B in nay class. I was the “smart” girl. My parents expected nothing less. I did get benefits from good grades but they didn’t account for the crap I take now in college. My first semester of college I got one B and I thought my life was over. Fast forward another year and I am studying 24/7 to PASS my chem class. That is a C. I know my parents know that I try no matter what so that I am actually just struggling with this specific course but a little bit of me knows they wonder how I went from straight A’s to this. But hey we’re all in it together. Finish the semester strong!
YES. This post is 100% relatable. I also was smart in high school and always had people commending me for my academic success. Now that I’m in college.. I’m average at best. It is very hard not to dwell on that one C, and we can all relate to that. Intelligence should never be tested the way it is in school (most of the time anyway). Memorizing 100 pages of notes for an exam isn’t a measure of intelligence… when will be able to realize that?!
I’m not sure where you got the idea that other people aren’t/weren’t staying up late to get things done. A lot of people are staying up late studying and this may sound weird but some people are lying about it. Everyone wants to act like it comes naturally to them so when you ask how they studied they’ll say they barely studied when they really did put a lot of effort in. Anyways, there’s no shame in working harder for it. Get it how you can! The truth is all of our brains work and think differently and diversity of thought is a valuable thing. While we may not all understand things the same way and we may have classes that suit our thinking style better, we are not unintelligent people.
I didn’t say no one stays up to do work, I said a lot of people don’t do it, which is because I know a lot people who often talk about how they would sleep even if they had work to do.