Throughout our entire high school career, we were constantly reminded about GPA.

Every teacher, counselor, and parent was on repeat saying the same thing, “You need a high GPA to get into college.” These constant reminders stuck in my head the entire 4 years of my high school career.

Now, I think back and realize that I spent more time just trying to get that “A” instead of actually learning the course material. I used to walk around high school like I was the best of the best with my 4.5 GPA, but now that doesn’t mean anything but some numbers on a piece of paper.

My GPA was nothing more than a bunch of letters added together that was trying to distinguish me between the thousands of other students trying to get into the same universities as me.

Coming into my first year at a university, I was so worried about my GPA. I was at a constant panic that I wasn’t going to get an A+ for a class. That had to change really quickly. College isn’t meant for you to get straight A’s.

GPA is not a personality trait that people tend to mistake it for.

My GPA shows nothing but some more letters added up into a number that distinguishes me from the other 60,000 students at my university. After just finishing my freshman year, I learned some true details of my GPA.

My GPA is not a definition of my intelligence.

It doesn’t tell me how much I learned, more like what I got on a bunch of tests. It doesn’t show how much time I put into a specific gen-ed class that I only need as a requirement but have no interest in. It doesn’t show the endless hours of studying I studied for a test I only got a D on.

My GPA does not show my abilities to handle everything at once or else my tears would be included on it.

My GPA doesn’t show my skills, or even my strengths or weakness.

Most importantly, My GPA doesn’t show all the lessons I’ve learned throughout my year.

It does not describe the passion I have or the hard work I have put into my year. It does not show the friends I have made, or the memories I have experienced. There is more to college than just your GPA.

Your parents don’t spend endless amounts of money for you to just read books all day long, even if they are scared to admit it. They pay for you to have the greatest time of your life and make your friends that will last a lifetime along with your education.

Your GPA is not going to get you that high paying job after graduation, it’s about the knowledge you have gained, the lessons you have learned, and the experiences that have taught you for the future. Although your GPA is important, never let it discourage you.

With hard-work and passion, you can accomplish anything you set your mind to.

Your GPA does not define your future, you do.