I was studying with Jerome and his girlfriend today when I launched into talking about my desired grades for this semester. Jerome then jokingly said something about competing with me, and then I replied, "I am not competing with you ok. I am competing with myself."

This topic has been brewing on my mind for quite a few days. I don't understand why some people like to compete with their own classmates so much. I mean, yeah, there's the bell-curve and our final grades are dependent on how the others performed. But, competing to the point of stabbing people in their face (and back) and gossiping about other people who did better? What for? What can you get out of this? Better grades unethically? Harming relationships that doesn't need to get harmed in the first place?

While I recognize that there's a bell curve system, I didn't let it faze me, nor affect me in how I study and interact with others. I am the kind who helps my friends in their assignments, in their tutorials, in their revision. I share my knowledge, and at the same time, I am benefiting from it as well, cause I get to really build my foundations while teaching others. If my friends put in great effort and in the end, get better grades than I did, then I am glad for them. I am glad that their efforts paid off, and I couldn't be more proud. If I got a lousier grade, then it is only my fault and ineptitude to blame. But at least, I feel good about it. I got my grades, for the better or the worse, with a good moral conscience, and I have nothing to be ashamed of.

I truly view this revision and sitting for examinations as competing with myself. I don't study so that I can get better grades than Bitch A and Bastard B (although it's nice if I did), and employ various means to harm them. No. I study so that I can achieve what I want, and be proud of myself. I aim for myself, and that's a sight I am not gonna lose in this business world of back-stabbings and bitchery.

So, these are my aims (minimum score) for this Semester:

Semester GPA: 4.0

IT: B+
FM: B+
Accounting: A-
Business Law: A-