Grades

Tests

Stress

Stress

Stress

It builds up from birth to death

We live to work and work toward death

Ambition

Drive

Stress

Stress

Stress

Everything is a competition because we’re all vying for the limited availability

There’s room only for existence because

Our essences are squeezed out of our Number 2 pencils and onto our scantrons

Questions

Answers

Stress

Stress

Stress

If you want to change your answer be sure to erase fully

But no amount of erasing can fix the mistakes we don’t even know we’ve made

Because we were never taught to know ourselves

―only taught to know the test―

Percentages

Numbers

Stress

Stress

Stress

“A score doesn’t tell us anything about you as a person”

It’s just a key point in determining your future

Stupid

Useless

Stress

Stress

Stress

Why encourage a person to base their worth on a number?

Incompetent

Good-for-nothing

Stress

Stress

Stress

Empirical evidence can’t provide all the answers

Stress

“You’ll never be good enough,” says the number circled in red pen

Stress

“It doesn’t matter how hard you try,” says the GPA

Stress

 

 

But

 

 

“Thank you,” says the teacher whose day you made

Strength

“I love you,” says the friend whose life you saved

Strength

“You’re worth something,” says your heart

(after much convincing)

Strength

When you’re defined by your whole self

―instead of by a fragmented assessment―

Strength

Strength

Strength

You feel worth something

Empowered

(as you should)