Academic Validation: a student relies on their grades to feel noticed and worthy.  Why are grades so important mentally?

Feeling the need to excel even more in school to be recognized isn’t the best for mental health.  It actually hurts more than it helps. Sometimes going beyond studying for tests mentally drains me, however, I feel like I have to study for hours to achieve a good grade. Knowing grades and school can impact my future makes academic validation even more important to me.  

Grades may not be the end of the world, but they do feel like it.  If my grades aren’t straight A’s, I feel worthless and stupid. The disappointment in myself is unbearable. My grades can vary throughout the quarter and I always feel the need to improve my grades even if they are all A’s.

Being a high achiever seems too difficult, but that feels like the only way to achieve academic validation.  Academic validation isn’t the most important thing in the world, it should be the least of worries.  School is always on my mind especially when I have a test that could make or break my grade.