Mental Health + School

School is simply a fact of life for any minor in the United States, utterly unavoidable. But, the entire concept and purpose of schooling have shifted completely from its origins, from being a way to create informed citizens to benefit our democratic system, to currently being another way to get ahead in our ever-competitive society. High schoolers' concern now isn’t learning as much as they can to benefit themselves as they enter adulthood, but instead to check off all the boxes needed to meet the standards of prestigious colleges. And in a day in age where college admissions seem to be the most daunting task in the world, with acceptances shrinking to single-digit percentages, this has had an immense effect on the mental health of such students who value academic success over all else. I myself have constantly struggled with my mental health in conjunction with the school. Being in the midst of my junior year I have never felt so stressed and overwhelmed in my life. Having constant thoughts about college and applications looming over my head has surely had a toll on my mental well-being. Along with that, the pressure I put on myself to achieve nearly perfect grades in school for the purpose of getting to college weighs even heavier. How can I achieve all of my goals in life if I can’t even get an A in AP Calculus