C’s Get Degrees: How to Tell Your Parents

It’s the end of the year, and you may know by now that you’re not going to get the grades worthy of your parents approving smile. Finals are tough enough as it is, but you know it’s not over when you get home.
They ask the universal question…”So what did you end up getting?”
And you give the universal response…”Mom, they didn’t put the grades in yet.”
(But in reality the grades have been up for a week)
So how do you explain to your parents those C’s or D’s? Maybe even that you have to retake a class?
Here are some helpful points to make when your parents are hounding you for that report card.

1. Class average
A lot of the time in the more difficult classes, others are suffering just as much as you are. The average of the class might be low and it’s a perfectly good reason to tell your parents you were right with the rest of them. Maybe it was the professor that really hindered your learning in that class? Just make sure to explain the situation so your parents don’t think you’re trying to justify and make excuses for yourself.

2. Talk about all the good things you did this semester
If you’re like most college students, you’re involved in lots of clubs and activities. On top of taking 5 or more classes, you have exams to study for, deadlines to meet, meetings to go to and events to attend. Not only are you wrapping up the end of all your classes but your wrapping up the whole year. For people with lots of clubs, that will take up a generous amount of time. You may also have a job on top of everything else. Tell your parents that although your grades may not be the best this semester, you have a lot of other great experiences to show for it, not to mention putting them on your resume.

3. Take responsibility
Your parents are adults. They appreciate when you’re being up front and honest with them, even when they don’t like what they’re hearing. However, there’s no need to flat out say “Well I partied too much and frankly didn’t give a sh*t about this class sorry pops” because that’s just throwing it in their faces. We all make mistakes and maybe this semester was one of them. Just promise to do better next semester which will hopefully fill a little bit of the void of disappointment your grades have made.

4. If all else fails…kiss some ass
It’s the holiday season! Hopefully your parents won’t want to ruin the cheer by overreacting to a C in that gen ed class you didn’t want to take in the first place. It may be the worst grade you ever got, but it’s over now and there’s nothing you can do to change it. Just reassure your parents that next semester will be different and you should’ve taken the class more seriously.

So before you pack your bags and start dreaming of sugar plums, make sure you know how your going to tell your parents about that C. The worst thing they could do is give you a lump of coal.
Or ground you.
Possibly make you pay for that class out of your pocket.
But hopefully they’ll pick the coal.

Happy Holidays!