Most students do not like school.  They hate that they are stuck in classrooms for hours and do seemingly endless amounts of work while they are expected to ace every test, quiz, and project. Don’t forget the job they must get and the extracurricular activities they need to join and excel at.  Oh and yes, they need to find some time for a social life. 

School is so exhausting. I swear I’m sleep deprived until the middle of summer.  We’re all stuck on this hamster wheel for 10 months. 

 So, do students lose sight of who they are and what actually matters in life during the school year? 

I have gotten all A’s and B’s on every single report card. So what?  It’s only the second month of school and I’m already drowning in assignments, quizzes, work, and SAT tutoring.   Many students are now worrying about college essays, applications, and if they even get into a college at all. 

I think during the year, students shift their focus to school work and pleasing their parents when they should be really thinking about themselves and their well being.  What school demands most is sameness and conformity; I feel like students try to blend and do everything the same way as everyone else to fit in.  They get caught up in what’s trending and what they look like or even what they say in class. I’m not afraid to admit I am guilty of all of those things. 

 We need to focus on having fun, being young, being taught about the real world like taxes and mortgages and not the quadratic formula. We need to talk about current events and how we can help those around us, not learn about U.S. history for the millionth year in a row. We need to learn about the world and different cultures, how to respect and interact with them. 

Everything we learn has some educational value, but in 50 years are we going to be judged on whether we know what the atomic number for gold is? Or are we going to be judged on how kind we are and how we help our environment?  I think we get so distracted that we forget to take a break and appreciate all that we have in life already  We shouldn’t be worried about one quiz that will definitely not affect us in the long run.

I think school and education is important, but wouldn’t it be more beneficial if in high school we learn more about the world and how to care for others? And then in college we focus on what we actually want to learn?

I think the percentage of mentally ill students is so high with the new and upcoming generations is because we’re put in this competition from birth. We need to be the smartest, the most athletic, the most well-rounded person if we want to go anywhere in life. 

It wouldn’t hurt to just relax, take a deep breath, and not worry so much about your future for just a bit. Maybe just for a few days, maybe one day I don’t know. But I know it’s important to be kind, take care of yourself and those around you, and try to love the life you have.