I don't know about you guys, but I don't exactly have the best work ethic. Scratch that. I don't know about you guys, but I don't exactly have a work ethic. When it comes to tests and quizzes, I don't know, I just kind of go with the flow. I don't cram, I don't organize, and most of the time, I don't even study. I know right, how am I not failing? I've asked myself the same question! Like, I'll see my friends staying up all night preparing for a test, perfectly organizing their study guides and all that, come into class, take the test, and get the same grade I got without studying. One time, one of my best friends was devastated at the end of class because she stayed up all night studying for a test and got a D-. SERIOUSLY? She deserved an A+! Believe me, I'm no genius. Ask any of my friends and they'll tell you I've screwed up in school and out more times than I'd like to admit. Why is this happening? Why did I get a good grade and she didn't? It hit me the other day while listening to some Twenty-One Pilots. "Wish we could turn back time to the good old days, when our mommas sang us to sleep but now we're stressed out." Yeah, as relatable as that seems, that mindset won't get you anywhere. That’s right! Mr. Cipollini’s rambling about the “growth mindset” actually has a point! Stress won't help you, at least a lot of it won't. Nowadays, it seems like stress has become sort of something to brag about. Try to go one day in school without hearing one person say "Oh my god, I was sooooo stressed out last night. I crammed for two hours!" People say this kind of thing with a smile on their face. It's almost like they're proud of how much emotional and physical hardship they put on themselves just for one measly 8th grade quiz.The truth of the matter is, as cliche as it sounds, just don’t worry about it. Don’t completely blow it off, but just try to relax a bit. Instead of cramming for two hours before going to bed the night before a test, do something that relaxes you, makes you happy. Do the studying a different day. That way on the test day, you’ll walk into the classroom, rested, ready, and confident; and that’s what it really boils down to. Confidence. If you think to yourself, “I can do this. I’ve prepared for this test, I know these answers, I’ve got this in the bag!” then you will have it in the bag. If you go in thinking “Oh no, I’m so nervous. I spent all of that time cramming, if I mess up here, all that time will be wasted! What if I didn’t study enough... “ then you’ll psych yourself out and choke when it’s test time. So, with finals approaching ever closer by the day, remember to be confident. And hey, if you fail, at least Blurryface cares what you think.