Thomas Edison once said; "Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time."

When I was younger, my teacher gave an assessment to everyone in the class
It was a simple assessment
But when we turned them in, he gave each and every paper a big red F
And then proceeded to sit down and watch us react as the papers were passed back
He asked us, ‘What do you think F stands for?’
The loudest response was ‘Failure’
And he shook his head hypnotically and told us
‘F does not mean failure like most think, but instead, it means ‘Find Another Way’

Those simple words changed my perspective on the tiny institution known as school
Classrooms have remained the same for decades
But the subjects change, they advance as we make new discoveries
The material we learn today is different from what adults had to learn years ago
I could use a metaphor or personification
Or describe to you the exact chemical formula of KNO3 and what it stands for
I could tell you how biology is important; meiosis and mitosis
I could tell you the first shot of the American Civil War
Or who Alexander the Great and Napoleon were
Sally sells seashells by the seashore
That was an alliteration

Do not let an exam grade or an insignificant letter define your outlook on life
Find another way to earn your A
An A does not stand for awesome or amazing, it instead stands for acceptable
Twain once said; "It is better to keep your mouth closed and let people think you are a fool than to open it and remove all doubt."
I will not let an exam grade define my future
And you shouldn’t allow it to either
Decide on something that drives you
That motivates and ignites you with passion
Live for being content and happy; instead of successful yet depressed
Because what we take when we leave this world is not our possessions but it is our memories.