I have been told often that failure is just part of life, that it is just part of human nature. Yet, some of us cannot afford to fail. To those who do not have the luxury of choices, our future hinges on the one chance we were given.
There is no back up plan. We are the back up plan.
Ever since I was 2 years old, I was told that the hopes and dreams of my family are held firmly in my hands. We did not have much, and as the first son of an immigrant family, failure was never an option for me.
Every time my mates say "your grades do not define you" or "grades are just numbers," I wonder, how can someone have such a luxury? My grades are not only a measure of my academic abilities. They are my one and only ticket for my family. They are literally the bridge between where I am and where I want to be.
I've always tried to be the perfect child: good ATAR, perfect GPA, always engaged in lots of extracurricular activities. But recently, failure has a way of creeping in. Why am I like this? Why did I answer that on the assignment? Am I investing my time into the right people? These questions keep me up at night. But to those who are in the same shoes as me - we are all humans. Let's try again! Remember why you cannot afford to fail but also celebrate the small victories and reflect on your failures. Because those moments are always steps toward your goals.
Recently, I have been realizing that failure is a victory in itself. If anyone else is striving against the odds - I am proud of you.
Even if all you did today was survive, keep going!