It's Friday. The students in classroom 1-A are talking. Some are looking at the clock. Some are sweating nervously. But they're all expecting something - the Honor Roll.
"Tenma, I wonder who'll be first this semester?" said Shinsuke. "That's right. I wonder if I'll make it to the top 5? All my hours of studying must pay off!" said Aoi. "Really? Last time, you got 91% on our Math quiz, 93% in our Science, and the Art teacher gave you a B+ in the project you worked on for three days!" said Kariya. "Well, at least my grades are better than yours, Kariya." retorted Aoi.
"I'm really nervous. What if I don't get into the Roll? What if I get 11th place? Or worse, what if I get 21st place?" said a worried Hikaru. "Don't worry Hikaru. Your grades are quite nice. You also understand English quite well. You and Tsurugi both do." said Tenma. "Since when did I get into this conversation." muttered Tsurugi. "Well, to be honest, you ace English and Grammar. I wonder why you didn't take interest in the Calligraphy Club at first." said Kariya. "Well that was because I was a SEED that time, and I thought soccer was better than linguistics," came the reply. "Shh, I can hear her shoes already." said Aoi to her seatmates.
The door opened and the teacher said, "Konnichiwa, minna-san." The class stood up and said, "Konnichiwa, Otonashi-sensei."
"You may be seated. Now, I know that all of you are excited for the Roll, aren't you? That's nice. But before I read it, please tell me why are you so excited to see the Roll?" The class fell silent. Haruna smiled. "So, no-one has an answer? I think that you are excited because you want to see the fruit of your efforts - if you did your best or if you didn't, or if you're smart or if you're not. But that's just my opinion. Before I actually show the Roll, I would like to tell you one thing: Don't let other people's standards define your own. Following their standards and allowing them to define who you are is the worst kind of slavery to humankind.
"The Honor Roll is just "measuring" students' intellectual ability. Your real potential is defined by you, and not by the Roll. So whatever place you get, you know it's the fruit of your effort, doing your best. Remember that. If you learn one thing from school, I hope it's this: Always give your best, no matter what the circumstances. Don't let others bring you down," she said.
The class was silent again, taking in the words of their homeroom teacher. It wasn't everyday they got to hear this. "Now, I shall proceed to announce the students, beginning from the "top": The first place is..." All the students listened in eager anticipation. "And the first place is..." she took the paper, folded it into a square, and put it in her pocket.
The class was astounded. One girl asked, "B-but Otonashi-sensei, didn't you say that..." Haruna smiled and said, "I said that I would announce the students in the Roll, beginning from the top. But I know that you all did your best and put all your efforts in whatever schoolwork was given to you. Which is why..." She took the paper out and TORE IT APART in front of the students. Gasps were heard.
"There is NO "Honor Roll" for this class. You all are excellent, and whatever talents have been given to you, use it to help others too. That is all. Class dismissed." and with that she left the room, leaving the students shocked and amazed by the words they heard that day.
Tenma walked up to the front of the room and said, "Minna-san, let's do our best, in everything that we do, and let's let NO ONE define who we are! Agreed?" The class responded with a resounding, "HAI Tenma!"
Dear reader, do you do your best and put effort in everything that you do? Or do you allow external things, such as others' standards, to define who you are and who're you going to be? I wonder, why would you let external circumstances to prevent you from being your best?