While preparing for my RS lesson today, I came across something that the church puts out to help people with their journalling.  It is called #52stories.  They have lists of 12 ideas at a time to help you write.

What is my earliest memory of feeling proud of myself-at school, in sports, in art or music, in a club or scouting?

I think I was a pretty good student throughout my life, not necessarily having to study much.  In 5th grade, I remember a test about geography.  There was a question on the test that had the answer "Suez Canal."  I was the only person in the class who got it right.  The teacher pointed out that I was the only one.  It made me feel super smart.  Somehow, I had just remembered the right answer.  I think I got 100% on that test.

Another time in 10th grade, I asked my math teacher a question.  I guess the question was fairly complex but intelligent.  He said outloud, "are your brothers as smart as you?"  Wow, talk about instilling confidence in someone!  I felt so smart yet again.

That same year, I took a history test and didn't study.  I am not sure, but I think I might have failed it.  I do know that I did pretty poorly on it.  It had a bunch of dates to be memorized.  I determined in my mind that the next history test would not trip me up.  So I studied and aced all the exams after that.

In my 2nd year of college, one of my professors only gave minimal homework in the Calculus 2 class.  So I only did the minimal work.  I failed the first test with a 56%.  I was devastated!  I determined that I would do all the problems in the book after that, no matter what the assignments were.  The next test I got 100%, and my cumulative score was the highest in the class.

I have a bit of a competitive nature when it comes to school work.  For some reason, I want the highest score.  I want to get the most difficult questions right.  I am not that way about card games or sports.  Those other things are just fun for me whether I win or lose.  But give me a B on a test that other people get an A on, and I will freakin' go into a depression!

So there you have it.