Academic validation is probably something you have heard of by now, especially when many students base their entire identity on their academic success. And unfortunately, it’s something that many students disregard in themselves, despite it controlling much of their lives. You might be one of those students. But how do you know? What would tell you that you have academic validation? Well, if those are questions you have, then you’ve come to the right place. Here are 6 signs of academic validation that you should look out for.
#1 : It’s Not Just Your Parents
The first thing to understand about academic validation is that it’s not just your parents pushing you. Here’s what I mean.
For many of us, our parents force us to take harder classes, get better grades, and give a lot of importance to school. For many of us, our parents’ obsession with school can be frustrating and exhausting, because you don’t have another choice but to follow what they say. However, academic validation only comes when all that forcing is on you.
Sure, what your parents have drilled into your head probably helped you start seeking academic validation, but all of it has to come from within yourself. Your parents stop having as much control over your perception of academics, and you take over. Once you know it’s not your parents, it’s you, that’s your first sign to look into academic validation.
#2 : School Trumps Everything
The second of your signs of academic validation would be that school always takes first priority. In your life, nothing is ever more important than school. While school is often of top importance plenty of times, there are certain times it shouldn’t. Missing a few days of school is not a terrible thing to do, and neither will it greatly affect your academic career. Think about for yourself, and try answering these questions:
- Do you go to school when you’re sick?
- Do you ask your parents to reschedule appointments and vacations as to not miss school
- Do you get excessively stressed when you have to be absent?
- Are you indecisive when choosing between a good opportunity and school when they clash?
- Do you choose finishing schoolwork, even when unnecessary, over other activities/hobbies?
If you’ve answered “yes” to at least three of these questions, you might just have academic validation. If you want to rid yourself of this fear of missing school, try some practices. The next time you’re sick, take the day off rather than going to school. Refresh yourself, and you can always complete the same work at home. You could even take a mental health day, the directions to which I’ve outlined in detail with my article, “4 Easy Steps on How to Take a Mental Health Day”.
#3 : You Compare Yourself to Others
Comparing yourself to other students is a classic sign of academic validation. You seek academic validation because it represents your value, and you always want that to be more than everyone else’s. Don’t feel bad, though. It’s natural. Living things always need to compete for their existence. Usually, it’s over resources to survive, but when most people already have that, we start finding different things to compete over. Here, it’s academic success.
Start by asking yourself these questions, and seeing if you answer “yes” to any of them. Remember to be honest with yourself. Answering “yes” to some of these questions may make you seem like a bad person, but you need to accept that it’s how you truly feel if you want to change.
- Do I always want to ask others the grade they received on a test, project, or assignment, especially when I have received a good grade?
- Do I always strive to be better than others in terms of grades?
- Do I put myself down when others have performed better than me academically?
- Do I wish for others to do worse than me on a test, project, or assignment?
Remember, comparison is the thief of joy, and comparing yourself to others will be an extremely unproductive move on your part. Focus on yourself and making yourself better, and forget about anything others are doing. At the end of the day, only you matter the most in your own life. It’s up to you to give anything else more importance.
#4 : The Best Compliment is One on Your Grades
For someone struggling with academic validation, the best thing you can say to them is, “Wow, your grades are amazing!”, and that someone may be you. If you think this sign might resonate with you, then ask yourself a few of these questions:
- Do I look for my parents, teachers, or others to point out my good grades?
- Do I feel more validated when a peer compliments my grades?
- Would I rather be complimented on my academic achievements than my personality, character, or hobbies?
- Do I enjoy it when my work is shown as an example in class due to my good marks?
Of course, you should feel very proud of yourself when others see your academic achievements, but you have to see it for yourself when it gets to a point. Your grades aren’t the single greatest thing about you, and you should be equally proud of other compliments. Your basis of happiness should not be validating your academic abilities.
#5 : Your Worst Moments Are Your Worst Grades
Of course, academic validation isn’t just keeping up great grades and hoping people notice it. Like anyone does, you make mistakes, and those in relation to your academics tend to be the worst for you. Look over these questions, and evaluate your answers to them:
- Do I get excessively upset over a bad grade (crying, constantly thinking about it)?
- Do I desperately ask the teacher about extra credit work when I get a bad grade, even when the course does not offer any?
- Do I feel hopeless after receiving one or more bad grades, and find it hard to move on from it?
- Do I get anxious about my self worth and identity when my grades aren’t up to my expectations?
- Am I unable to get over a bad grade, despite others’ attempts to comfort me?
If any of these situations resonate with you, you more likely than not are struggling with academic validation. Just remember not to beat yourself down over bad grades, because they will come and go. You have to be ready for mistakes, but don’t make those, or your successes define you. Your academic capabilities are great, and not a single bad grade can take that away. It should not hold that much importance anyway.
#6 : You Can’t See Your Life Without School
This is the final of your signs of academic validation, and it may be a little harder to explain. Essentially, without an academic career, you could not see yourself existing. If school was not there, or if you weren’t able to go, you could not see yourself as a person of value, or achievement.
Why is that? Well, it’s because of your desperate need for academic validation. Without school, or any of those good grades, you are nothing. Your entire sense of self has been built on those academic achievements, and you could literally never see your life without them. And that’s a problem.
Conclusion
Well, all those signs are great for identifying your academic validation, but how do you fix it? You can check out our article on overcoming academic validation, but you can also look at my very final point for you.
Find something else to be proud of. Whether it’s a new hobby, a sport, or just some more time with friends and family. It just has to take your mind off of school, and give you something else to focus on. More importantly, remember that your self-worth should not come from anything external, like a good grade on a paper, or a trophy from a competition. It should come from within yourself, knowing that you are a good person trying their best to live their life to the fullest. That’s all it has to be.
