Education is more than a number.

As a proud over-achiever, I’ll be the first to admit grades are important—so important that I freak out when I receive any grade below a ninety. An eighty-nine simply is not good enough. I panic, overcome with anxiety. I won’t get into grad school with an eighty-nine.

Before I was in college, I worried I wouldn’t get accepted anywhere. I thought my SAT scores were too low. Plus, that 84 in math was practically an F… (in my eyes anyway).

I got two’s on AP exams. Basically, I was a failure.

How can I get a two on the English AP when I wanted that to be my major in college? Clearly, it was a sign I wasn’t as good as I thought I was. I changed my entire life because of that one, minuscule number that quite frankly, doesn’t really determine anything.

But to me, it determined everything. That tiny number two was the death of my motivation. I didn’t take AP classes senior year, because why work my butt off when the results never show? It’s completely degrading.

Still, there was light at the end of the tunnel. I did get into college, a great one at that, and my SAT scores were no longer significant. All that stress and anxiety means nothing to me now. In fact, I can’t help but crack a smile when I see high schooler’s stressing out about it. I want to shake them vigorously, telling them it’s going to be okay. The digits seem like the most important number on the planet… well, they’re not. I want to tell them, no matter what they get on the exam, chances are, they’re still going to go to college. Even if it’s not their dream school, a college is going to accept them regardless.

As for my AP scores, those too are now obsolete. English has found its way to me again, and I’m majoring in it. In fact, I hope to teach AP English one day. The number two now means nothing to me. I won’t let it stop me from pursuing my dreams.

Scores and numbers might seem so important at one point, but in a year from now, they won’t matter.

All we can do is our best; a mere list of numbers won’t always prove it thought—but it’s okay. Keep trying and don’t lose faith.