Ignorance&Bliss

Surprisingly, I'm pretty cool about it (not really, I already cried because of my Add and Mod paper 1). It's not like I'm entirely depressed but I am not exactly satisfied as well. I know that I haven't been studying much for midterm (I slept all through prep in my dorm the night before Mod and I only started consuming Physics the morning of the paper, which the paper starts at 7:30 and I woke up and hour before). We all understand this feeling nevertheless, right: No matter how little you prepare for your examination papers, you would still want a good result. It's a norm for all human beings - students in particular - really. I kept quiet while listening to my friends echoing distinctive marks of others in envy. A tiny part of me inside wished to have achieved similarly, although I know I don't deserve it. During my silence, I was able to catch complaints and groans;

where the A- kids would mutter "sikit lagi nak dapat A"

And the A students would scream "sikit lagi nak dapat A+"

If not I would also hear criticisms on how the answer should be or that their answers are supposedly correct, if not accurate. I'm not saying that I'm the saint here. I have also experienced likewise. I still feel it now. Don't get me wrong though. But here we will drift back to the main question: Why do top scorers still complain about their results? Come on lah, pandai kot. I'd kill to get your results. And you're still complaining? Hmm??? ????? ????? ???????????????????????

Let’s break this down shall we.

Being school students, we are all treated equally. We go to school in the morning until it ends in the afternoon. We learn with the same teacher with our classmates. Our class makes up of around 30 – 40 people. We get homework and we have to sit for exams. We wear school uniforms and we break the rules. Pretty much the same right? Or at least, that’s what we all think.

Thing is, when you are used to obtaining excellent results, anything you think is below your standards are dissatisfying. When you are so used to getting A+ in a certain subject, suddenly dropping to an A would seen like the biggest ordeal you have to face. (I freaked out for getting a B in English for last year’s first test) If not, if you even think that you are a good student even if you’re basically average, your reaction would still be quite similar to real deal top scorers when they “fail”. It’s not just based on mentality, though. Good students have a reputation to maintain. Who likes not getting an A+ when you know you are able to do so right? And most of them are pressured to keep the perfect streak going; Our Add Maths worksheets usually have “Ingat Add, Ingat A+” stamped anywhere on them, normally on the front page. I have never been close to even achieve an A- in Add, mind you. I don’t even like the subject. But I’m placed in the first class. In a school where Additional Mathematics becomes one of their niche areas. Do the math. (In this case, do the ADD math HAHA)

But you know what, sometimes the good students are the least thankful. That’s why sometimes they never really get what they actually wanted or expected.

We get that good students have this reputation and ability shit but come on lah, who the hell likes to listen to top achievers complain. It degrades the average to below average scorers more than they ever imagine. If getting an A- is such a bad thing, then what about B students? C students? The ones who can’t even pass their exams? Hellooooo, we exist too. And we’re not whining as loud as you are we? Or is that you think you’re different? You’re special? We’re dumb? Lazy? Hmm?

The silent good student-bad student conflict will never come to an end. My mother – although she and my dad are the main stakeholders who pressures me to aim high and be the best – has always taught me to be grateful for whatever you have achieved (if you’re asking, no I have not become grateful for my bad grades yet, but I’m trying). If you’re upset for not getting an A or A+, then do know that someone out there is not even close to getting an A-. If you’re upset for getting a C, then know that someone out there has failed that subject. If you failed that subject, then know that someone out there failed all his/her papers. If you fail all your papers, do know that someone out there does not even have a chance to pursue education. If so, their education sucks more than ours.

However, don’t become complacent and comfortable in what you get. Never give up to work hard and smart to be better, to improve. Allah tak pandang pencapaian, Allah pandang usaha. Our lives are not perfect, but it’s not an excuse for you to stop striving for perfection. Do know, anything can happen. The intelligent ones are not the ones who score all their papers, but they’re the ones who can intelligently handle their lives.