The first thought for many students going into high school (at least, this was true for me) is usually, Oh my gosh, college!!! And often, this one stressor becomes the source of academic pressure for many students. While the looming presence of college does not peer over your shoulder at every grade you receive, many assume it is the main reason people feel some sort of academic pressure. Especially at an academically rigorous and competitive school like Potomac, many people feel some sort of academic pressure. However, academic pressure is quite multifaceted.
The truth is, academic pressure varies for every student in its source, amount, and feeling. Even within a single student, it can look different every day. Whether you are a freshman experiencing the jump from middle to high school, a sophomore deep in the slump, a junior balancing everything at once, or a senior applying to colleges, everyone has their own unique experiences with academic pressure.
When asked about whether academic pressure comes more from the environment or from within, Aiden Yuan ‘27 saw it as “a mix of both,” saying that “I like to be a people pleaser” and “I also like to prove to myself that I can do hard things.” Sejal Satoskar ‘28 felt the pressure was more self-enforced, explaining that “I probably push myself harder than maybe even my parents or my teachers around me do.”
Personally, I have found that sources of pressure often determine how much pressure I feel on a given day. If I am having a particularly bad day, I am more likely to notice how much work I have or have not done. On the other hand, expectations for grades can also determine whether one has a good day or not. Both Yuan and Satoskar felt that grades played a part in deciding their moods, with Yuan noting that “grades pretty much reflect how I view life in a moment in a certain moment in time,” and Satoskar noticing that “everyone hates to get a bad grade, especially on something they worked really hard on.”
But it is not all doom and despair. The biggest thing to remember is how to spend your time and energy wisely. At the beginning of sophomore year, it was really easy for me to fall into a hole of complete stress. However, it is important to recognize that not every grade will turn out how you want it to. Yuan explained how, over the past year, he has developed a healthier mindset: “I think it takes a lot of tolerance and general experience and repeated failure for you to get used to the fact that, okay, not everything is going to be very perfect.”
Developing strategies for dealing with tough weeks is another helpful tool for reducing stress. Yuan shared that he uses “things like theater and trying to exercise every day” as outlets, while Satoskar mentioned that “listening to music when in the car” and baking help her de-stress. To-do lists and planners can also help students visualize their schedule in a more organized fashion when they have a heavy workload.
Finally, academic pressure varies greatly from day to day. There will be some days when you feel motivated, and others when you simply would rather lie in bed and scroll for hours. Some weeks feel like you are drowning in work, and others feel like spending the sunny day on the quad playing spikeball. A high schooler’s life will always have ups and downs, but remembering that academics and grades are not your whole life, and making sure to balance your workload with fun activities, can ease the pressure and make a bad day a little better.
