With the end of the first semester coming fast, I think most students are feeling the pressure.  Seniors are waiting to hear back from schools and make the tough decisions about their life after high school.  Juniors are living in never ending stress, worrying about GPAs and SATs.  And sophomores still have some time to pull it together, but with everyone telling them what a competitive world it is and the importance of college they’re probably stressing too.

It almost seems ridiculous. All through high school we are lectured on the importance of getting good grades, being involved in a surplus of activities and getting stellar SAT scores all so we can get into a good college.  But once were in, then what?

I’m guessing in college we will be lectured on everything we have to do to get a good job after we graduate.  And again we will be living in never ending stress, moving from one thing to the next-  not necessarily because we want to do these things, not because they interest us, but because we are told that’s what we have to do to get to the next level.

The price of college makes it seem hardly worth it. They want our money; so even the most mediocre high schoolers will get in somewhere.  And even going to a prestigious school doesn’t guarantee you a job once you get your degree.

College is a necessary evil.  It’s hard to survive in this world without a degree, but today, having one is a gamble too. Maybe you will get a decent job that does your degree justice; maybe not. Maybe it will take you a few years. And it will definitely take you more than just a few years to pay back your loans.

These are supposed to be our glory days.When we look back we should have good memories of a somewhat carefree youth. So I think we should all just relax. A little bit of true effort goes a long way.  We should get good grades because we want to, and we should be involved in extracurricular activities because we want to, not because we think it’s what colleges want to see.

And contrary to what some would have us believe, SAT scores and college acceptance letters don’t determine the rest of our life; they impact it, but nothing is set in stone. Experiences, especially ones we have now, as young adults, are the things that will really affect our life down the road.