“Hey, what’d you get on the final?” “I got a D! I thought I was going to do a lot worse!” The students give each other a high five, congratulating each other on passing at the minimum grade, showing a problem that many in this school see, but ignore.

A complete and total disregard for personal grades is pulling our generation down. This is supported by our graduation rate, which is 86%. Scores now can make or break students later on in life.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, high school dropouts and those who don’t graduate earn an average annual income of $20,241. That’s if they can find a job as many jobs now require a high school diploma. These jobs pay $10,386 less than a typical high school graduate and $36,242 less than someone with a bachelor’s degree. This can be very problematic later in life as expenses begin to build up.

The difficulty should not decide, however, if you should try your best. One more level of “Call of Duty” instead of reading the last chapter for the exam tomorrow could very well prove to be a devastating mistake. One F on one test can and will bring down your grade, especially with the end of the semester approaching.

Let’s focus and get back to work. Impress teachers and forge a better life for this generation.