Picture this: It is a Friday evening, and there are numerous social events that you are looking forward to that weekend. It could be a night out with friends, seeing your favorite artist’s concert or going to the Orioles baseball game. However, at the same time, you have to think about the five assignments due on Sunday at 11:59 p.m. and the final exam on Monday, for which you are nowhere near prepared. Your grades could slip and you have not hung out with friends in a while. How do you prioritize and find a good balance between the two?
This conflict is one that many students face as they navigate the confusing ropes of high school, where they try to build new friendships, maintain good grades and figure out their interests, all while cultivating good mental health. The combination of an excessive workload and various social commitments can take a toll on a student’s well-being. Excelling in academics while having a full social calendar can often make students feel like they are teetering on the edge and overwhelmed. It is a high-wire act that is nearly unmasterable.
Societal pressures can make high school students feel like there is no room for error, but isn’t high school the time for trial? Academic achievements play a crucial role in determining a student’s educational and career opportunities. However, a healthy social life teaches them essential skills for growing valuable relationships. Deciding which comes first depends on the student’s interests and goals. Students vary in the amount of difficult classes they take and the number of hours they spend each day on other activities. Walter Johnson junior Vivian Go takes five AP classes while spending at least 20 hours per week studying dance. She explained, “[I have] always had these two things as equal parts of my life.” However, it has not been easy for her.
Overloaded schedules can lead students to experience heightened stress levels and mental fatigue. Go shared her perspective on this. She said, “The stress that comes from balancing these two things has caused me a lot of mental health issues, including burnout from doing too much work”. Sometimes students set unrealistic expectations and put too much pressure on themselves. In addition, students often compare their progress to that of their peers and feel like they are not doing enough. Walter Johnson junior Mayuri Koka-Johnson said, “Teenagers, especially, tend to compare themselves to their peers, and so this can cause a lot of pressure.”
Social media plays a key role in this tendency to compare because it results in harmful procrastination habits and creates unrealistic standards. As a result, many high school students feel like they need to be at the same place in their lives as a popular influencer. TikToker Kay Chung documents her life as she studies to become a dentist and shares unhealthy study habits like repeatedly pulling all-nighters. Influencers can often shape students’ perceptions of what is “cool” or desirable, even if the behaviors are harmful. Realizing that these are idealized “versions” of these influencers’ lives, and not necessarily realistic, is crucial to figuring out what works best for individual students.
Social media is addictive in nature, and “comparison culture” can evoke feelings of insecurity and isolation. Although students may argue that social media is a form of communication and therefore an important part of their social lives, it often worsens the balance between priorities. Koka-Johnson expressed, “I would say that social media has negatively affected my mental health more. I find it hard to stay away from my phone for a long period because I always want to take a break by absentmindedly scrolling through Instagram or TikTok.” This endless cycle of mindless scrolling can lead to an inability to sustain focus for long periods, negatively impacting students’ study habits and taking away valuable time to actually socialize.
Although it may seem difficult, some students have discovered strategies to help them achieve their athletic, social and academic goals. “Balancing pre-professional dance and high level academics requires a lot of discipline,” Go said. “I always have to be doing something, I never really have a moment where I can just sit and do nothing, especially on weekdays.” This skill can be hard to master, but creating a schedule, setting boundaries and utilizing breaks can help students get to that point. Go explained, “If you’re struggling, it’s important to take a step back, and ignoring all of the pressure put on you by external factors, realize where your true priorities are.” The importance of reflecting and adjusting your schedule based on personal goals can be an essential ingredient to establishing a healthy balance. Echoing Go’s advice, psychologist Ronald Stolberg of Alliant International University–San Diego suggests much of the same. Stolberg explained, “The goal is to build self-esteem and confidence by achieving your reasonable goals, not to set yourself up for a letdown.” At the end of the day, we are all in this together. Having fun and recognizing that nobody is perfect is something that can help get students through their high school years. Recognizing that social media is a distorted version of reality and only shows the good parts is important. Keeping it simple, giving oneself a pat on the back for something as simple as saying “no” to a hangout with friends and instead studying extra hard for that quiz deserves extra credit.
Written by Chloe Schaffran of Walter Johnson High School
Photo courtesy of Faze Teen