A is a powerful letter. It can be a word by itself. Add a scarlet hue and it ostracizes a woman from society. Its shape resembles the great pyramids, the only wonder of the ancient world still standing. And as a grade, it represents achievement, hard work, being the best.

I have always earned A's in school. I'm not grade-obsessed, I simply work hard to understand and retain the material. But this year, my classes are pushing me further than I've ever worked before. In my AP calculus and biology classes, I have generous amounts of homework every night. Hunched over my calculus book at 10 p.m., I curse its seemingly unending questions. In biology, we begin a new lab before we've even finished the last. And between labs there are Latin root quizzes, study guides, and readings. There's always something for me to be working on.

Though I'm more dedicated to my homework this year, my grades may not reflect that due to the rigor of my classes. And I'm okay with that. Of course I would love to maintain my 4.0 GPA, but getting a B in a class or two won't affect what I've learned or what I'm capable of doing in the future. It won't change the fact that I want to study engineering or how I want to use that knowledge to improve the world. It really only changes the way I am labeled for the future.

And when it comes down to the basics, A is merely a letter.