AN OPEN LETTER TO THE BOY WHO SCORED 66 A's IN O/A LEVELS

Hardwork is important, sure, and I don't mean to discredit your achievement but, at the same time, it's important to draw a line because, guess what? You're 16 or 17. 


Students like these fuel the race to the top, where kids have to take more subjects in their O levels for them to have some semblance of self worth. During O levels, kids go through major self esteem issues, get depressed and develop mental health problems because of their inability to cope with intense stress levels at a young age. The last thing they need it to be told or feel is that their number of 'As' aren't worth much because other kids have more. 

But also, 66 As? Really? You're a kid. Do things that other kids do. Are 66 As a good enough reason for you to compromise on your childhood? Trust me, you would still have a pretty great chance of getting into a good university even if you had 50 less As. As a society, we shouldn't espouse such values. Doing exceptionally well in academics isn't the end all be all. Sure, study. Work hard, but strike a balance because there are other equally important, if not more, things out there in life that require your attention. 

CREDITS ABBAS AZMAT