Marking Period 1 grades just came in, but don’t panic. These early grades are exactly that: early. MP1 is just one scene in the movie of your school year—a snapshot of where you are now, not where you’ll end up. My chemistry grade from last year is definitive proof of that (pfft, I’m not sharing what it was!).

For new students acclimating to the school, there’s always a learning curve. Adjusting to new expectations and study habits takes time, so it’s completely normal that your initial set of grades reflects that transition. And even for returning students, it can take time to settle into higher-level courses.

But here’s the good news: there are so many chances in a semester and throughout the rest of the year to improve. Our grading system is designed this way because learning is about progress, not perfection. Teachers use MP1 as a checkpoint—a time to offer feedback and help us see where and how we can do better.

Think of it as the academic version of a practice round. Sometimes it takes some lousy practice to give you the insight and motivation to perform better in the real game.

And by the end of the year, those MP1 grades can make for a very satisfying “told you so” moment with your parents—not that I’m speaking from experience, of course.