Sunday, January 15, 2006
Perspective
On Thursday when I learned my grades I was excited at first. No truly ugly grades to be seen. Then I realized there were no spectacular grades either. Then I realized my GPA probably placed me right at the 50% mark, perhaps top 45% if I'm lucky. Kind of a let down after being top 15% at my previous school. Little did I know Thursday afternoon that I was in for a big lesson in life. Let me give you the moral of the story first: average (or even less than average) grades are not the end of the world...they're not even the worst thing that could happen.
When we received our grades, I shared only with my study partner. Turns out she blew me away in every class but one (I still managed to smoke her in my favorite class). I moaned and groaned to my mom on the phone about how jealous I was. Less than twelve hours later something happened that would change everything. My study partner's dad slipped into a coma after having a brain aneurysm. I have since spent the better part of the past 40 hours in the surgical ICU at the local hospital, sitting with my friend. Yesterday afternoon she found out he was braindead, and in a few hours, his organs will be harvested and he'll be removed from life support. I'm quite sure that right now she'd gladly trade places with me and be the one with average grades who still has her father. It really just put things in perspective for me and made me realize that average grades at a first tier law school is far from the worst thing that could happen to me. In fact, it makes me glad I blew off two days of class last semester to go to Boston with my dad to see the Red Sox clinch the wildcard. I'm sure I'll remember that experience far longer than I will my mediocre grades.
So, as the grades roll in, let's all keep things in perspective. Here's to hoping everyone is happy and healthy!
|
When we received our grades, I shared only with my study partner. Turns out she blew me away in every class but one (I still managed to smoke her in my favorite class). I moaned and groaned to my mom on the phone about how jealous I was. Less than twelve hours later something happened that would change everything. My study partner's dad slipped into a coma after having a brain aneurysm. I have since spent the better part of the past 40 hours in the surgical ICU at the local hospital, sitting with my friend. Yesterday afternoon she found out he was braindead, and in a few hours, his organs will be harvested and he'll be removed from life support. I'm quite sure that right now she'd gladly trade places with me and be the one with average grades who still has her father. It really just put things in perspective for me and made me realize that average grades at a first tier law school is far from the worst thing that could happen to me. In fact, it makes me glad I blew off two days of class last semester to go to Boston with my dad to see the Red Sox clinch the wildcard. I'm sure I'll remember that experience far longer than I will my mediocre grades.
So, as the grades roll in, let's all keep things in perspective. Here's to hoping everyone is happy and healthy!
