Post by johnthompson on Aug 8, 2011 14:55:13 GMT -5
This generation does not have a second to breath during a regular school day. We have put it into our minds that if we are not doing everything we aren’t doing good enough. I wish we could all just slow down and take a break sometimes, but for the future leaders of this country the best that they can do is hardly enough. I have felt the same pressure. This past year I stopped playing select soccer. Not because I didn’t enjoy it or because it was too hard, I quit because as much as I loved my team there was simply not enough hours in the day. I gave up my dream of playing division 1 college soccer at that point. I wish I didn’t have to but it was the right decision. There were simply not enough hours in the day for two hours in the car and another two on the field. Colleges are getting more expensive and harder to get into. Students feel they have to cram extra circulars into their already difficult schedule. Still in a lot of ways this generation’s busy schedule is a good thing. I enjoy all of my extra activities, which actually is the purpose of extra circulars. If i didn’t enjoy playing soccer I would never step on a field again. If I didn't enjoy embarrassing myself in forensics I’d stop. We need to have fun. Let’s not kill ourselves trying to fill every spot on our college applications. Unfortunately I have been exposed to the under belly of college admission for the past five years. Lots of colleges in this country will not compare you to a similar student by what you have on your application but rather how much money you have. Take two things from that statement. One, apply for as many scholarships as you can. Two, take some of the pressure off yourself. It will be more rewarding if you relax and enjoy yourself than if you try to drown yourself in work hoping for an outcome that almost never turns out the way you planned. I’ll try not to be the negative Nancy about your hopes and dreams but people should take for themselves. Thirty minutes a day.Take thirty minutes everyday to do whatever you want to do. Don’t ask anyone what you should do, just do what you want (unless it’s illegal, don’t do illegal stuff. Or at least don’t get caught doing illegal stuff). Everyone has expectations for themselves and you should push yourself to be the best that you can be. But i assure you the best that you can be is not an overworked drone who doesn’t have time for his/herself.