Welcome to May, an exciting month full of proms and formals and the final chapter of the school year. However, there's something else that defines the month of May, something that forces us to take those constant reality checks, even during such a great time of the year: testing. Whether it be SATs, APs, or finals, most students can't get through this without having to sit in a testing room.

We’ve all been there: number two pencils in hand and pens with blue or black ink, rushing to beat the clock as you rush to finish that timed essay, or struggling to punch numbers into a calculator with trembling hands. How about all of the times you second guessed your answer because you got A three times in a row? For many students, myself included, tests can come with a lot of anxiety, stress, and late nights. As a freshman in high school, it was very easy for me to define myself by answers on a scantron and numbers circled in red at the top right corners of my papers. As a soon-to-be freshman in college, however, I've learned to go in with a completely different mindset.

Here's the thing with standardized tests. They're used to measure you on a relative spectrum. In comparison to others, where do you fall? However, I will forever stand by Einstein when he says, "Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid." Standardized testing is just a part of life at this point, but that in no way means that it defines us. You are more than that test that you wish you did better on, a score out of 1600, or a grade in a class. Studying what you love and loving what you do means more than a standardized test ever will. Some people aren’t natural test takers, and that’s okay! Tests are important, but they are not everything.

When you look back on your high school and college experiences years from now, I guarantee you won't remember the question on the test that was seemingly impossible or the score that you got on that one SAT subject test. You're going to remember the friends you've made and the memories that you've created. You'll remember your senior prom and your graduation and that amazing professor that helped you to fall in love with your field of study.

Another thing: don't let standardized tests make you lose your love for learning. Yes, studying for finals was probably a struggle to say the least, but remember that there's a difference between test-taking and learning. Learning is when you can't wait to go to your favorite class or when you love the subject of your paper so much it seems that your fingers can't type fast enough. Learning is asking questions and formulating opinions and having genuine curiosity. And what's most important to remember: learning is sometimes making mistakes.

So whether you’ve taken your tests already or are still studying, remember that you are going to be fine. No test can make or break you. So enjoy the month of May, because the best things in life are the things you can’t study for.