As young adults, we are often told that we need to do everything in our power in order to succeed in life. What exactly does it mean to succeed though? There are so many difficulties that come along with trying to succeed. Having a dream of accomplishing our goals is no longer enough to get us there.There are financial, parental and self stressors that contribute to the already existing pressure we have to succeed.

During my freshman year in college I was extremely overwhelmed with all sorts of stressful situations.At the time I lived in Mojave which was two hours away, however I commuted and my commuting time increased to four hours. Along with travelling for a long time, I was working full-time at a fast food restaurant. For a year I continued with a harsh schedule that affected both my ability to focus on school and my mental health. Everything I put myself through was simply in order to financially support myself. I developed depression and social anxiety because I isolated myself instead of reaching out to people. My entire year was chaotic and exhausting, however I did not let any of that stop me from continuing with my studies.

Like my situation, there are many students who struggle to accomplish their dreams. The pressure to succeed is so immense that most people decide not continue. Parents can be supportive or they can be the ones adding more pressure to us. My parents were supportive and all, but I did not want them to feel as if I had let them down by not assisting to college. Every time I began to bring up a conversation about college they immediately stated that they wanted me to do my best and graduate. Some people are lucky enough to have their parents full support and their understanding. Other students however are not so lucky and they go through all these stressful situations alone.

While trying to do my best during my first year, I isolated myself so much that I became depressed. My depression did not come alone however, I developed social anxiety and it was so difficult for me to function correctly. The majority of the people I knew did not know of all the things I was going through. I put so much pressure on myself to succeed that I forgot to live my life. I rarely went out with friends, I didn’t socialize and I basically never left my comfort zone. It is so difficult to succeed when the main person bringing you down is yourself. It shouldn’t be this way, I think that we should all be able to succeed regardless of the circumstances we find ourselves in. It’s difficult to achieve our goals but it is not impossible.