--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I didn't know about competition until I…" description: "\"I didn't know about competition until I got to school. I didn't know how degrading it was to be graded until I got to school.\" — Cree Summer" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d8a/cree-summer-16405_about_i-didn-t-know-about-competition-until-i_3010683.jpg" --- # I didn't know about competition until I got to school. I… ![“I didn't know about competition until I got to school. I didn't know how degrading it was to be graded until I got to school.” quote by Cree Summer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d8a/cree-summer-16405_about_i-didn-t-know-about-competition-until-i_3010683.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d8a/cree-summer-16405_about_i-didn-t-know-about-competition-until-i_3010683.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d8a/cree-summer-16405_about_i-didn-t-know-about-competition-until-i_3010683.jpg) > “I didn't know about competition until I got to school. I didn't know how degrading it was to be graded until I got to school.” [Cree Summer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cree-summer/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. School introduced the reality of competition and grading, revealing their harsh impact. **In simple terms:** School showed competition and grading are harsh. Key Takeaway Recognize and question competitive pressures. Themes education self-esteem social comparison Mood reflective critical Type observational personal When to use this quote - classroom - academic performance - peer pressure Key Concepts psychology grading systems Questions to Reflect On - How does competition affect your self-view? - Can you find healthier motivation? A Different Perspective Competition can motivate but also harm self-worth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Competition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/competition/) [School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school/) [Sports](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sports/) ## Related quotes > [I try to keep up with everything - all wrestling across the board. I want to know what the competition is doing, what the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-hardy/i-try-to-keep-up-with-everything-all-wrestling-across-the-board-i/) [Matt Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-hardy/) > [I know competition is there, and it can come my way by new, fresh faces that are around or are coming up. It pushes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shraddha-kapoor/i-know-competition-is-there-and-it-can-come-my-way-by-new-fresh-faces/) [Shraddha Kapoor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shraddha-kapoor/) > [You have to start with the basic premise that you need to know what your competition is doing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-kawasaki/you-have-to-start-with-the-basic-premise-that-you-need-to-know-what/) [Guy Kawasaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-kawasaki/) > [When you know both yourself as well as your competition, you are never in danger. To know yourself and not others, gives you half…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/when-you-know-both-yourself-as-well-as-your-competition-you-are-never/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) > [If you want to be in the top teams, you know you have competition in your place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerard-deulofeu/if-you-want-to-be-in-the-top-teams-you-know-you-have-competition-in/) [Gerard Deulofeu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerard-deulofeu/) > [As far as everything else, I know I'm not above anything with a competition, or football IQ, all the values we have - I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jalen-hurts/as-far-as-everything-else-i-know-i-m-not-above-anything-with-a/) [Jalen Hurts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jalen-hurts/) > [The thing I learned from playing tennis is that I know what competition is. I can handle rejection.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-zigman/the-thing-i-learned-from-playing-tennis-is-that-i-know-what/) [Aaron Zigman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-zigman/) > [In any competitive environment, whether you're in sales or marketing or whatever it is, you have to know your competition, understand who they are,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-moses/in-any-competitive-environment-whether-you-re-in-sales-or-marketing/) [Edwin Moses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-moses/) > [“It gets easier once you’re no longer graded, once you have to assess your actions for yourself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanna-rakoff/it-gets-easier-once-you-re-no-longer-graded-once-you-have-to-assess/) [Joanna Rakoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanna-rakoff/) > [“Each of us has more intelligence than we are trained to use and the part that we get graded on in school doesn’t amount…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-nadel/each-of-us-has-more-intelligence-than-we-are-trained-to-use-and-the/) [Laurie Nadel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-nadel/) > [In the SAS, if you're not good enough, you're graded out of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ant-middleton/in-the-sas-if-you-re-not-good-enough-you-re-graded-out-of-it/) [Ant Middleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ant-middleton/) > [“It will be your generation that will grow up in the glorious new era when people will be as easily graded as oranges.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/it-will-be-your-generation-that-will-grow-up-in-the-glorious-new-era/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [Who besides a degraded rabble would voluntarily present itself to be graded and classified like meat? No wonder school is compulsory.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-taylor-gatto/who-besides-a-degraded-rabble-would-voluntarily-present-itself-to-be/) [John Taylor Gatto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-taylor-gatto/) > [It's unfortunate that sometimes in schools, there's this need to have things quantified and graded.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-dove/it-s-unfortunate-that-sometimes-in-schools-there-s-this-need-to-have/) [Rita Dove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-dove/) > [The honours system gets to grade people. Graded grains make finer rice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-mottram/the-honours-system-gets-to-grade-people-graded-grains-make-finer-rice/) Richard Mottram ## More by Cree Summer > [Being in the body of an African-American woman, I prefer animation. I get to be everybody. I don't have to always be the white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cree-summer/being-in-the-body-of-an-african-american-woman-i-prefer-animation-i/) [Cree Summer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cree-summer/) > [The Indians are a civilization wrought with culture and a beautiful, deep spirituality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cree-summer/the-indians-are-a-civilization-wrought-with-culture-and-a-beautiful/) [Cree Summer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cree-summer/) > [When I'm working with strangers, I can get a little timid or scared. With friends, I'm willing to' try anything, because there's a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cree-summer/when-i-m-working-with-strangers-i-can-get-a-little-timid-or-scared/) [Cree Summer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cree-summer/) > [I grew up in a house made out of mud.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cree-summer/i-grew-up-in-a-house-made-out-of-mud/) [Cree Summer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cree-summer/) > [I slept in closets and on floors for a long time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cree-summer/i-slept-in-closets-and-on-floors-for-a-long-time/) [Cree Summer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cree-summer/) > [It it weren't for HBCUs, 'A Different World' wouldn't exist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cree-summer/it-it-weren-t-for-hbcus-a-different-world-wouldn-t-exist/) [Cree Summer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cree-summer/) > [I wanted to be in a rock band. That's all I ever wanted to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cree-summer/i-wanted-to-be-in-a-rock-band-that-s-all-i-ever-wanted-to-do/) [Cree Summer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cree-summer/) > [I was reading 'The Prophet' on my own when I was 10 years old.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cree-summer/i-was-reading-the-prophet-on-my-own-when-i-was-10-years-old/) [Cree Summer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cree-summer/) > [I like to look at the skyline and the moon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cree-summer/i-like-to-look-at-the-skyline-and-the-moon/) [Cree Summer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cree-summer/) > [I'm appreciating the little bitty things that make me happy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cree-summer/i-m-appreciating-the-little-bitty-things-that-make-me-happy/) [Cree Summer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cree-summer/) > [I was raised on an Indian reservation, and I didn't see a television set till I was 10, so it's not a part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cree-summer/i-was-raised-on-an-indian-reservation-and-i-didn-t-see-a-television/) [Cree Summer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cree-summer/) > [I want to continue acting as long as I feel right about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cree-summer/i-want-to-continue-acting-as-long-as-i-feel-right-about-it/) [Cree Summer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cree-summer/) > [I'm just inspired by music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cree-summer/i-m-just-inspired-by-music/) [Cree Summer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cree-summer/) > [My father said, 'Let's raise our child in a paradise instead of a parking lot,' and that's what they did.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cree-summer/my-father-said-let-s-raise-our-child-in-a-paradise-instead-of-a/) [Cree Summer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cree-summer/) > [People say to me, 'Ooh, L.A. is so plastic.' Sure, it's mountains to the right, oceans to the left and pretense in the middle,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cree-summer/people-say-to-me-ooh-l-a-is-so-plastic-sure-it-s-mountains-to-the/) [Cree Summer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cree-summer/) [Explore all 40 Cree Summer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cree-summer/) ## More About quotes > [If you ask an introvert a question, wait until she thinks about it. Introverts think before speaking, not through speaking. If you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-helgoe/if-you-ask-an-introvert-a-question-wait-until-she-thinks-about-it/) [Laurie Helgoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-helgoe/) > [Joking about violence is not funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perez-hilton/joking-about-violence-is-not-funny/) [Perez Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perez-hilton/) > [I talk to my mates about our kids, being too tired and being worn out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-willoughby/i-talk-to-my-mates-about-our-kids-being-too-tired-and-being-worn-out/) [Holly Willoughby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-willoughby/) > [With 'Pretty Girls,' I saw the opportunity to talk not just about crime but what crime leaves behind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-slaughter/with-pretty-girls-i-saw-the-opportunity-to-talk-not-just-about-crime/) [Karin Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-slaughter/) > [I write about presidents. That means I write about guys - so far. I'm interested in the people closest to them, the people they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-kearns-goodwin/i-write-about-presidents-that-means-i-write-about-guys-so-far-i-m/) [Doris Kearns Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-kearns-goodwin/) > [That's something a lot of folks don't know about me - I'm pretty darn funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jai-white/that-s-something-a-lot-of-folks-don-t-know-about-me-i-m-pretty-darn/) [Michael Jai White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jai-white/) > [I learned a lot about myself at Oakmont.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-lowry/i-learned-a-lot-about-myself-at-oakmont/) [Shane Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-lowry/) > [I don't think about the press or the crowds or the other leaders of the race. The focus is only on myself. As soon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magdalena-neuner/i-don-t-think-about-the-press-or-the-crowds-or-the-other-leaders-of/) [Magdalena Neuner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/magdalena-neuner/) > [Sport is not just about entertainment. It is equally about winning and losing, pooling and galvanising the energy of the youth, upgrading people's physical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nita-ambani/sport-is-not-just-about-entertainment-it-is-equally-about-winning-and/) [Nita Ambani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nita-ambani/) > [One of the ways that I discovered my confidence and my ability to overpower is becoming a mother. Suddenly, my world wasn't about myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lights/one-of-the-ways-that-i-discovered-my-confidence-and-my-ability-to/) [Lights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lights/) > [I didn't want to do 'Fashion Police' because I thought, 'This is stupid, this is beneath me, who wants to talk about fashion?' It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-rivers/i-didn-t-want-to-do-fashion-police-because-i-thought-this-is-stupid/) [Joan Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-rivers/) > [I just worried about my weight. Worried about my appearance and thought I wan't pretty enough to be a pop star. It was very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-durham/i-just-worried-about-my-weight-worried-about-my-appearance-and/) [Judith Durham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-durham/) > [I read a couple of books about neuroscience and the relationship between the mind and the body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-kinnaman/i-read-a-couple-of-books-about-neuroscience-and-the-relationship/) [Joel Kinnaman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-kinnaman/) > [There are a lot of kids out there copying and distributing movies - not because they care about seeing the movies or sharing them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perry-barlow/there-are-a-lot-of-kids-out-there-copying-and-distributing-movies-not/) [John Perry Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perry-barlow/) > [I have no physical genius about me. I can't dribble a ball and run at the same time, I can't do lay-ups - I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-mullins/i-have-no-physical-genius-about-me-i-can-t-dribble-a-ball-and-run-at/) [Rich Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-mullins/) Browse all 26,122 About quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I didn't know about competition until I got to school. 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