It can be really irritating.

Don’t get me wrong here, I’m grateful for my grades and I always have been happy that I can achieve them, but sometimes, I just really want to be less of an overachiever.

• During an exam:

Friend: Psssttttt, Mais!!! *taps annoyingly on table*

Me: What the fuck do you want?! Be quiet!

Friend: Number two please, last one.

Me: *shakes my head* I really don’t know, I completely guessed it.

Friend: Well, let me see anyway!

Me: You’re better off with your own answer.

Friend: As if!! I’m sure you’ll get it right. Now, show me.

Me: *guiltily tilts paper*

Friend: Life saver. Thanks, I owe you one.

I’m not always right.

• The day the homework is due:

Friend: Hey Mais, what did you get for question sixteen on the maths homework?

Me: Oh, I got -4.

Friend: What?! Ugh, how could I get that wrong too? I got 6.

Me: But you could be right. I kinda rushed it.

Friend: Nah, you’re really smart. I’m sure mine is wrong.

I may be really smart, if that’s what you want to call it, but I’m not the mark scheme. I make mistakes.

• After an exam:

Friend: Yo Mais, what did you get?

Me: Oh, 94%.

Friend: WHAT?!!! OMGMGMGMGMGMMGMGMG *has panic attack* I GOT A 96%!!! I DID BETTER THAN YOU OMGMGMGMGMGMMG HOW?!!!!

Me: Good job? :)

Why? It’s not like scoring higher than me equates to winning an Oscar. It's not deep.

• Also after an exam:

Friend: Mais, how did you do?

Me: I got a 98%. You?

Friend: 98%?! Surely, you must be GOD!!!!!

Just, stop. I probs got lucky again. Breathe.

• Before an exam:

Friend: Mais, did you study??

Me: Not really. Kinda just read through the notes.

Friend: PFTTTTTT *hurls spit shower at me* I BET YOU HIT THE BOOKS SO HARD THEY ENDED UP IN THE HOSPITAL AND THEN DIED.

Why are you asking me, if you don’t want to believe what I’m gonna tell you?

• Before a final:

Me: Ugh, I’m so nervous you guys. I didn’t revise very well at all.

Friend: Yeah yeah; stop complaining. If you’re complaining, what do we do? Die?!

Me: But I-

Friend: No, stop. You’re like SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO smart. You’ll be fine, shut up.

Me: Oooookay.

I’m not Einstein. I just work hard. If I don’t study, I won’t do as well. I’m not really cleverer than anyone else. I’m allowed to have feelings. I’m allowed to feel nervous.

• Morning before the bell rings:

Friend: Mais!! Quick, I need your biology homework. I didn’t do any of it!!

Me: *extremely hesitant* I didn’t do it.

Friend: Yeah, funny, hahahahaha. Now, give it to me. Fasterrrr!

Me: Fine, *shakes my head*

I want to help you, but you can’t rely on me for all your work. It makes me feel used and defeats the whole purpose of you having work.

• After sitting an exam:

Friend: Hey Mais, how do you think that chemistry exam was?

Me: It was quite hard. I struggled with a few questions here and there. Not sure if I did too well.

Friend: OH SHUT UP YOU ALWAYS SAY THAT AND THEN GET 500% WHATEVER I DON’T KNOW WHY I ASKED YOU BYE.

Me: …………

So, judging by your logic, I’m not allowed to find anything on this planet difficult?

• During lunchtime:

Me: Okay you guys so basically last night I saw this amazing show on Netfli-

Friend: Netflix? What? You mean you weren’t up all night studying for the physics exam in nine years time like nerds usually do?

Me: But I, erm, yeah. Sure I was..?

I have a life. I swear, I have a fucking life.

That’s just 10% of the struggle. It gets annoying when it’s repetitive. Don’t even get me started on expectations. Or how a B is the end of the world.

It’s hard to maintain a high level of work and grades, and you’re constantly worried one slip-up, one mistake, will put you down in everyone else’s eyes. With expectations hung above your head, it’s so, so hard to deal with everything.

You eventually feel like a used robot. And then once they can’t benefit from you anymore, you’re all alone.

Grades don’t make you smart, or stupid.

Everyone has a life.

People have feelings.

People have flaws, and always make mistakes, just like you.

You can be a straight A student too. If you set your mind to it, there’s nothing stopping you.

I’m grateful, but there’s ups and downs to everything. I felt the need to mention some of the downs because the ups are known by everyone. Whether or not you’re a straight A student, I think you know the perks of that.

But yeah. That’s that.