It is so easy to be pulled and pushed down by the world. We are constantly faced with deadlines, schedules, and aggravations that make getting through the day seemingly impossible. Sometimes it feels like we can't do enough; There's always another paper, another project, another task that needs our attention, and it seems like the work is relentless.
In a study, NYU stated that over half of students reported feeling a great deal of stress on a daily basis. School work and extra-curriculars tend to be a significant cause of this stress. In a world where perfection is constantly strived for, and pressure to achieve perfection is clearly evident, students are becoming more and more beat down. I personally attended high school in a high-functioning program that often resulted in high stress levels among it's students. Stories of all nighters and coffee house stake outs were incredibly common.
That was just the environment we were in, and displaying signs of complete immersiveness in the work and the toll that it took on us mentally and physically were almost revered among the students. It was almost as if there was an unspoken rule that if you seemed to be pushing yourself to the brink of exhaustion, but not quite overboard, then you were successful. I feel like many high school students can attest to this fact: If you're not pushing yourself to your absolute limit, then your classes are too easy or you're not involved in enough outside of school. It isn't enough that you're passing, but you must simultaneously be at the peak of academic excellence and the peak of mental instability, constantly. But why?
While there is nothing wrong with wanting to push oneself to the best of their abilities, a line must be drawn between being your best and being the best. As long as you are doing work that you are proud of, it shouldn't matter whether you are the top student or dead last. The important thing is that you are getting something out of your education, and that you are working to the best of your ability, in everything that you do, whether that be school, work, or extra activities.
A bad grade on an assignment will not make or break you, but a constant stream of self-inflicted pressure and negativity will. As reported by Bloomberg, the American College Counseling Association reported in 2012 that 37.4 percent of college students seeking help have severe psychological problems, and it is only plausible that this number has increased since. Depression and anxiety are insanely common in today's educational environment, proving that taking time for you is so important.
It is critical in the midst of chaos to enjoy yourself. People love to say how high school and college are the "times of our lives", so shouldn't we do everything in our power to insure that it's true? That being said, there is a difference between throwing responsibility to the wind, and being able to enjoy yourself and the environment you are in while still doing what you are meant to do. Personally, I am very intent on getting the most out of my time and energy while I'm here.
It is natural to be over-worked, run down, and stressed, but that doesn't mean that we have to let that become our identity while in school. You are allowed to not be okay sometimes, because being able to participate in and react to our environment is what makes us human. However, it is how we choose to react and deal with our situations that define us. Why not try to make that definition a positive one?
