When someone lands on the topic of 11th grade, especially at a competitive school like OPHS, the words exhausting, dreadful, and demanding are usually involved. This infamous reputation comes from poor advice like: the entire college process is riding on your junior year so make sure you take all APs; have leadership in eight clubs and be a varsity athlete all while maintaining a perfect GPA.
We high school students are human teenagers, not some perfect package you tie up in a bow to send off to college. We are all unique individuals who have the capacity to find the right fit when it comes to life after high school.
“Every student is different in their preferences and what they want to do after high school, there is no one size fits all,” English III honors teacher Jennifer Hankins said. “What I try to emphasize is it has to be what fits your preferences, goals, passions and interests.”
As a senior who has had quite a difficult student-athlete mental health journey, I couldn’t agree more. My passion stems from my experience. Before high school even started, I mapped out how to make myself a perfect college candidate. While planning can be positive, you have to leave room for changes in interest or feelings. There was just one problem with the map I had created, I was not being true to myself.
School and extracurriculars I didn’t even like were consuming my life, and eventually the weight on my shoulders became too heavy.
“I have seen class after class of juniors feel the crushing weight of everything in front of them. I observe that students are just trying to survive” Hankins said. “On most days, you want to be doing more than just surviving and hanging on for dear life. This is why I choose to include mental health and well being curriculum regularly in my class.”
As an English 3 honors alumni, I learned about the importance of school/life balance. However, Mrs. Hankins’ wise teachings did not fully make sense to me until I experienced multiple college campuses. I enjoyed and pictured myself at some amazing colleges that toxic hustle culture would deem non-competitive or less esteemed.
“There are so many paths one can choose beyond high school, no one path is better than another, just different,”Hankins said. “There are so many options: the four year college route, or the two year community college route, taking a gap year, or doing some kind of trade or technical school. It is just all about a student finding which one is right for them.”
When I was able to realize I would find a college solution for myself no matter my GPA or schedule, I felt as if I could breathe again. I adjusted my classes, dropped extracurriculars I disliked and put myself on a path to happiness.
Many of us OPHS kids pride ourselves on our intelligence and success. However, maybe it is time for some people to re-define their definition of these words. Measuring one’s intelligence based on how many As they have received is completely senseless. Who says having emotional intelligence, musical intelligence, or linguistic intelligence is any less valuable than having “book/school” intelligence? As a matter of fact, why are we judging a person based on their “intelligence” at all?
One’s performance in grades, extracurriculars, or sports is not who they are. It is our qualities and actions that make us who we are. Showing kindness, respect and love is much more important than getting straight As. I pick my friends based on if they are kind people, not based on their GPA’s.
“Instead of measuring your success with grades, it is important to start measuring your success with how happy and fulfilled you are in life, in a holistic way,” Spanish teacher Francisco Henning said. “Being successful is being fulfilled and happy outside of school too.”
Another piece of advice I believe juniors should live by is to stop comparing yourself to your peers, in most cases peer comparison only makes us feel less than.
“Comparison can be a double edged sword. It can motivate us. But an unhealthy comparison can set you back. Because in reality, we all have unique circumstances in life,” Henning said. “Also, we have different sets of skills, motivations, and personalities. If you find yourself comparing yourself to another person all the time, that is not a balanced and healthy situation even if that is for motivation.”
Juniors, keep in the back of your mind that you are building your story this year. Sharing who you are as a person with your own unique traits and experiences is what will yield you your best post high school fit.
“When I was in high school, I knew an extraordinary kid who got into every college he applied to, even Ivies. He did not take any class that was AP/honors level,” Henning said. “In not taking that, he freed up his time and started a successful nonprofit organization to help kids in Ukraine get adopted. He was able to write his college essay on how he knew that he made a change into the life of X amount of kids. His kindness and ability to make change came across, this is how he got into all of these schools.”
Right now, I am the most mentally well I have been in years. My schedule is balanced and manageable. I have time to walk my dog, go to the beach, play
lacrosse, spend time with my family, write articles like this, and see my friends often.
This is a call to all students who are feeling crushed by overwhelming school work, I ask you to please evaluate your schedule. If there is anything you should take away from this article it would be that if you want to go to college you can go to college. No matter what GPA or extracurriculars you have, you will end up in the place that is right for you. Remember, live for happiness and balance, not academic success and college pressure.
