COTE: The Best Version of Me

Chapter 16 - Past, present and future

Ayanokoji POV

"Start!"

As soon as Chabashira-sensei authorized the start of the second stage of the exam, the mood in the room changed. The screen in front of me displayed the digital form with a series of categories ready to be filled out. Each student was tasked with self-assessing, assigning a score from 0 to 10 in these categories. 

At first glance, seemed simple, but which hid deeper layers of interpretation.

Academic Skills. 

Intelligence. 

Physical Ability. 

Social Skills. 

Adaptability.

I could feel the quiet tension around the class. It was as if each of us were in front of a mirror a second time, forced to look directly at our weaknesses and abilities. However, this part wasn't just about what I thought of myself; it was also about what others would think. The second part required us to estimate the grades we thought others would give us in each of these categories.

It was a test of judgment, yes, but more than that, it was a test of self-awareness and honesty. Not only the ability to recognize our own strengths and weaknesses, but also how we believe others see us. A two-way mirror, reflecting the inside and the outside simultaneously. The screen also had a score and two empty slots to put both answers in. The first slot was how I rate myself and the second was how I think others would rate me. I looked at the first category.

Academic Skills.

I knew where I stood, at least objectively. My academic skills were well above average. A 10 seemed appropriate. It was high enough to reflect the abilities I had demonstrated during the month. As for how I expected others to rate me, that wasn't hard to figure out either.

A good strategy here was to use the scores from the little test we did at the end of April, there were no secrets in this category. If others realize this, they shouldn't have any problems here.

Score: 10|10

Intelligence.

When the word "intelligence" appears, the first mistake people make is to confuse it with raw knowledge. Intelligence goes beyond that. This category was always more subjective. Intelligence was not limited to academic ability. It is the ability to mentally adapt, to strategically understand, and to read environments and people. Giving myself a grade here was an exercise in honesty without vanity. I knew that my intelligence was one of my strongest points, but there was no need to brag about it. A 10 would be appropriate here, and considering how others see me, a 9 would not be absurd.

As I filled out the score, I thought about how superficial this type of assessment might seem to other people. Many people confuse intelligence with technical knowledge or test scores, without understanding the real concept. Some of the students who would likely give themselves high scores here might actually be limiting their own perceptions by holding themselves to rigid definitions of intelligence. It would be interesting to see how these numerical assessments would play out.

Score: 10|9

Physical Ability.

This category was where the layers of perception were clearest to the general public. Although I wasn't the type of student who would openly display physical strength at all times, those who paid attention knew of my capabilities. I remember my basketball match against senpais and winning alongside Hirata and Sudou. As friendly and innocent as it was, it was a glimpse of what I could do. That was just one example of how my physical ability revealed itself at will.