It is a message we are taught to learn and grow from throughout our lives. Whether it’s because we are constantly verbally hearing it or we are learning it through age, quality over quantity affects many people’s daily lives. However, what exactly is quality over quantity? Quality over quantity can differentiate between several different meanings. However, one of the most common meanings is preferring better things opposed to more things.

Throughout daily life, we make choices based on the quality or quantity of something. For example, when someone wants to buy new clothes, the price differs based upon the brand and quality of the article of clothing. People make these purchases based on whether they want the clothing to last longer or what the price is.

“I would rather have a quality [made item] because I want to be able to rely on it and not have to worry about it breaking,” sophomore Jordan Smith said.

For example, when buying handmade clothing, the quantity of the price is usually higher due to its better quality.

“If an item or clothing has a better quality, [it means] it probably took and longer time to make so it deserves to be a higher price, but items that don’t take time and are of a lesser quality, shouldn’t cost much,” Smith said.

Quality over quantity also affects us through our grades we receive in school for our work ethic. For example, if someone does poorly on a homework assignment, their grade goes down. If someone does well on a test, their grade goes up.

However, in school, this system is flawed. Assignments are handed out and are graded upon not only the correctness, but upon word count and meeting criteria. This means if a student does not meet the number of requirements, the student’s grade will drop.

“Personally, I believe that school grading systems focus on quantity over quality rather than focusing on the true importance of quality. When given assignments, we are given requirements. However, requirements aren’t always essential, especially when looking for quality work,” freshman Kayleigh Calahan said.

In this case, quantity is just being focused on more, and the work is not being graded or associated with the quality of the work.

“A 1,000 word essay isn’t necessarily better than a 400-word essay. What matters is how much work is put in and how well done it is,” Calahan said.

When students is trying to just make word count and meet the requirements, their quality of work can easily go down.

“I could be assigned a 500-word minimum essay and end up finishing the best essay in the world with only 300 words, but still those quantitative requirements force me to go back and add unneeded information, and can even lessen the quality of my work,” Calahan said.

Quality over quantity is even present in social media. The better quality photos usually receive more likes, comments and shares compared to the number of photos posted.

However quality and quantities are being applied to our life, people should start looking at the quality aspects. Do people really want more clothes or ones that will last them longer? Would people rather turn in sloppy homework assignments or well put together ones? In any matter, focus more on the quality of your work rather than the quantity.