by

Bradley Chambers

High school was very easy for me. I rarely studied. I believed that I would get by on my natural intelligence. My mother always told me that college would be a tremendous change. She was not lying. Many consider my first class, English 1101, to be the hardest that Dalton State College offers.  I was not quite ready for the challenges this class would bring. When I received my first quiz, I was very upset about my grade. I looked at the paper and saw an F, which upset me for three days. I soon realized, though, that this grade would help me. Failing my first grammar quiz has been instrumental to my success in college so far. This grade has taught me that it is acceptable to fail, that my parents would always support me, and that college would not be easy.

Failing my first quiz allowed me to realize that it is acceptable to fail. I came to college believing that I could make an A in every class. I had not studied much in high school, so I did not know how to study. When I tried to study for that first grammar quiz, I could not concentrate. After only a few minutes of studying, I put my notes away.  In high school, I made excellent grades. I made A’s in most of my classes. When I was returned the grammar quiz, I did not recognize the grade on my paper. I was not used to seeing that grade. After being upset for many days, I realized that it is acceptable to fail. I realized that I could pull the grade up. I also realized that I did not have to be perfect. By realizing all this, I became motivated again. I knew that I would do better, and I did. Failing my grammar quiz has been instrumental so far in my success in college. Failing was acceptable.

Next, the failing grade also proved that my parents would always support me. My parents never got upset over my failing quiz grade. I was more upset than they were. When I told my father, I burst into tears. He never expressed disappointment in me. He told me that I would do better on the next quiz. My mother said the same thing. I was worried about what their reactions would be. Their support allowed me to move past the failing grade. I also appreciated that they would support me in the good and bad times. The support my parents offered me after my quiz has also been crucial to my college success.

Finally, failing the grammar quiz taught me that college would not be easy. My mother has said that it would be hard. I should have listened. College has been the hardest task I have ever attempted. If I had not failed that first quiz, I would be failing all my classes. It showed me that college was not for everyone. It showed me that I was going to have to study. When I am studying, I always think back to my failing quiz grade, which forces me to study even harder. College is much harder than high school, and I realize that now. Failing my grammar quiz proved to me that college would be difficult. This realization has been instrumental in my success thus far.

In conclusion, failing my grammar quiz has been very beneficial to my college success. This quiz showed me that it is acceptable to fail, that my parents would always support me, and that college would not be easy. If I had not done poorly, I might have eventually failed all of my classes. I never thought that an F would help me this much. When I get tired of studying, I simply think back to my first F, a thought that allows me to keep pressing on. This mistake was more beneficial than all of my A’s.