setting the bar

happiness vs sadness...
contentment vs disappointment.

yep, today is results day.
and i am seeing many different reactions being expressed online.

some people are happy.
some elated.
some just thankful.
some lament.
some complain.
some promise to do better.

essentially it's whether you are satisfied or not...
do you sincerely accept it?
or does it feel difficult to stomach?

i guess, whether we are satisfied with our grades can only be determined by our own expectations.
i'm sure we all already had a preconception beforehand; a rough gauge.
and whether or not you reach this bar determines your level of satisfaction.

say you aimed for a 4.0...
roughly speaking, a 2.5 would be devastating...
a 3.0 would be sad...
a 3.8 would be disappointing but you'd want to work harder next sem...
a 4.1 would probably evoke a sense of relief...
a 4.5 would make you feel happy.
and a 5.0 would totally exceed expectations.

so how high did you set your bar?

yes, expectations kill.
but i don't see how we can 'not expect'.
you would have to have some form of expectation.
and even if you honestly didn't have any beforehand...
when you eventually get the results, whether you are satisfied or dissatisfied will tell you where your expectations lie.