Today I got my math midterm back. Didn’t do well but I expected that. I passed and that’s great! My consolation was that I did much better on my first midterm than the rest of the class so my second midterm levels it out and my grade is still at around class average. Which I am fine with. Also not doing well meant I would twice as hard for my final. My self-confidence remained stable.

Another friend in class asked me my grade. I told him. And his reaction is what lead me to write this post. He was shocked. He actually though I was kidding about my grade. He wondered how I could such a low grade when I actually helped solve some questions before. Yeah, sounds overwhelming right? So you can imagine what effect these words had on my confidence. I started believing what he said. I started questioning my ability and my work regime. My confidence plummeted and my stress levels went up.

By the time I was walking back home at 5, I was listening to sad songs and glooming over how I’m wasting my parent’s money. Finally a little voice in my head spoke- “Don’t let his words affect you “. Should I? Or should I not? Because I actually did not study too well for the test. I did not give it my best. I should have been more responsible. But then again, his words brought down my self-confidence.

So my question is where should I draw the line? Whose words and what words do I take into consideration. And to what extent should they affect me? I would normally listen to my family but now I am at university, away from home. I have a new makeshift family now- my friends. So is anyone willing to answer?