It’s a high school rite of passage to be badgered by questions regarding future plans. “Any ideas on where you want to go to college?” and “What do you want your major to be?” are a few that personally have been haunting me since the start of my freshman year.
These well-meaning but seemingly constant investigations revealed an unfortunate truth about myself. I have no idea what I want to do after high school.
With over 50% of high school students experiencing stress over their future, it’s undeniable that the closer students get to senior year, the more pressure they feel to have everything figured out.
The truth is, attempting to map out an entire future and finding a step by step plan to the next stage of life isn’t possible, even if it seems like some have it all figured out.
A growing trend on TikTok under #academicweapon shows teens all throughout high school with GPAs over 4.0, waking up early to study for a multitude of AP classes, and of course, being accepted into every Ivy League in the book. Those participating in this trend are aspiring doctors, lawyers, and engineers and appear to have 20 years of experience despite many not even having their drivers license.
Feeding into this influence online, combined with being in a district as rigorous as EPS ultimately led me to believe that I am an academic failure, and I will be forced to go straight to work at my local fast food joint after graduation. Experiencing this type of stress due to academics, however, is not an uncommon feeling at Elkhorn North.
“Everything with schedules and classes just gets confusing, especially with AP courses,” sophomore Josie Kenny said. “Some would be good for a career that I might want to do, but they’re hard classes for me.”
Those who play sports, especially at the varsity level, have an added layer of stress if they want to pursue it at the collegiate level. Trying to pick a college with a good program for both academics and athletics is another difficult battle some go through as early as junior year for some.
“If you want to be recruited for a sport, you have to succeed both academically and athletically,” sophomore Lauren Jardine said. “You have to be good in both areas and that means constantly working hard in both fields.
Balancing sports, tough classwork, managing to have a social life, and putting maximum effort into a high school education may lead to a brighter future, but it’s a fast track to a rough burnout. In order to actually achieve a good high school experience while setting up a bright future, everything must be done in moderation.
“Ask yourself, ‘What do I need to do today?’ and work on it in regulated amounts,” history teacher Phil Onwiler said. “So that way when everything comes due all at once, you’re not feeling the stress or the burden of having to try to accomplish everything in a very small amount of time.”
If taking the time to slow down and focus on the task at hand can alleviate just a bit of the stress applied to high school students, then it’s a beneficial step towards a healthier mindset and environment.
No teenager needs to complete five job applications, try-out seven different internships, and do hours of homework to succeed, even if it feels like everyone else is miles ahead. Slowing down and recognizing that although the future seems daunting, no one is truly as prepared as they seem. High schoolers are in the same (somewhat unpredictable) boat.
When it comes to either staying up late finishing an essay or getting a full nine hours of sleep, get the rest.
When someone was just accepted into every Ivy league school on Tiktok, keep scrolling through.
When it seems like you have nothing figured out, keep in mind that there is always a light at the end of the tunnel.
“I’ve realized now that all my hard work will pay off as I enter college,” senior Shadrack Tengue said. “I have a life outside of school, I’ve trained myself to be familiar with heavy coursework, and I honestly feel as if I’m prepared for my future.”
