Academic pressure is applied to students at such a young age; forcing this onto young students creates a mindset that they must have a plan for their future. When teens feel they must prioritize their academic achievements over everything else in their lives it can negatively impact relationships such as family members or friends. The pressure may come from family expectations, societal pressure, or just the students holding themselves to an impossible standard. Academic pressure is very harmful to your mental health, causing anxiety, depression, substance use, burnout, high levels of stress, and much more.  

A report from Cross River Newsroom shows that 45% of students experience stress daily due to the societal pressure that is being pressed against students. The report explains that 61% of teens get stressed due to the amount of work teachers place on students every day. This stress happens when the student has an overwhelming amount of work they must accomplish plus the pressure of keeping a good grade in that said, class. When there is so much work to be done, most students burnout. Burning out means they are so overwhelmed with work that their emotional and physical state becomes exhausted, leading them to stop working entirely. A research group by the name “Gitnuz” reported that 5% to 75% of students suffer from burnout due to the amount of workload teachers are handing out to students.

These mental health issues can be caused by a lot of things. One of the causes can be from high expectations that are enforced by the parents of the student. The parent only thinks about how they need to have their child succeed no matter how hard they are mentally affected. Many parents may want their children to succeed for them, meaning their child holds themselves to an impossible standard forcing them to gain a fear of failure. Having this fear makes the student only prioritize school and nothing else is on their mind, friends may get pushed away and the student may not even have a social life outside or inside of school. 

Reaching the end of high school, college is right around the corner. Students are told that it’s important to do exceedingly well in school to be able to be accepted into a good college. As each year passes by, the pressure intensifies. Choosing what college to attend will be one of life’s hardest and most stressful choices among teens. As you are nearing college, students stress over SATs and, ACT’s which are monitored by almost every college. A survey by the Stanford Affiliate Challenge Success found that two-thirds of high school students are extremely stressed about getting into the college of their choice. 

College pressure is experienced by everyone who is taking that route and it’s important to understand that you don’t need to have a plan for college and it’s okay to be unsure of what it is you’d like to pursue academically.  Most students don’t have a plan for college because their interests just haven’t peaked yet, and that is completely normal, but the norm is that you have to know exactly what it is you want to do in college and exceed into your adult years. From my experience, I was always told at a young age by my past teachers that if I didn’t have a solid plan for college, I would never be able to get into a good college, this caused me to stress about school when the reality is that it’s okay if you are unsure about what your plan is for college. Even students who have a steady plan for college, and know what college they would like to attend or what they would like to major in often change their mind multiple times in college.   

Your mental health is your top priority, here are some ways of taking care of yourself through these stressful situations. When experiencing academic pressure getting a good night’s sleep is extremely important to a person’s mental state. A report by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) says that poor sleep is the cause of mental health disorders, a student will have challenges controlling their emotions and making decisions. Maintaining balance is also very important to a student’s mental health, good time management increases one’s confidence. Be sure to prioritize your friends and family, go outside, take a trip, and have an active social life trying new things or going to new places. Remember you are only a teen once, as much as school matters, make sure to enjoy your teen years! Most importantly, know when to ask for help. With the amount of workload students are receiving today it is crucial you don’t suffer mentally. Do not suffer alone if you are experiencing academic pressure, you must be able to communicate with someone you trust. That someone could be friends, family, or even a teacher, open up because trust me they will understand what you are going through, and they can guide you. 

Academics are important to guide you in life, but it’s important to understand that you don’t need to have your life mapped out at such an early age, it is okay to make mistakes and change your mind. You may think you know what your future is but life is full of surprises, in an instant, your “plan” can go in a very different direction. Your mental health needs to be your top priority, yes, even over homework or assignments. Take life slowly, and do not rush your school years, everything will happen in its own time. There’s no need to put yourself through so much stress. Have fun! Go out with friends and family. Try new things! Go travel to new places! Make memories! Whenever you are feeling stressed with school remember you can always talk to a friend or trusted adult if you are feeling anxious, burned out, overwhelmed, or anything else you may be feeling. Your school years will end sooner than you think, make sure to do your very best and make each day memorable!