Today, students are more stressed than ever. Photo illustration courtesy of junior Em Kohler. 

  Walking around campus, it’s not uncommon to hear people saying things like “I’m so stressed” and “I have a million things to do.” This is accepted as normal at San Luis Obispo High School, but why does it have to be?

  It’s no secret that anxiety and depression are increasing rapidly among American teenagers, and a key cause of this is academic stress. According to Pew Research, 61 percent of teens said they feel “a lot of pressure” to get good grades.

  Many students specifically feel pressure to get into a prestigious or Ivy League school.

  In an effort to set themselves apart from the increased competition, students are encouraged to fill their schedules with AP classes, reputable internships, summer programs, leadership roles in clubs, and more. This is completely unmanageable, and it’s ridiculous to ask a sixteen year old to take on so much responsibility.

  It’s also important to note that with the fall of affirmative action, this only increases the disparity between students who can afford SAT tutors and expensive summer programs, and the vast majority, who cannot.

  On the other hand, many argue that the Ivy League path can be the best way to set yourself up for success in life.

  “A lot of important positions in society have people who went to these prestigious schools. For example, I want to become a lawyer and maybe a judge one day… You look at the composition of our nation’s Supreme Court, and notice that eight out of the nine justices on the Supreme Court have Ivy League educations for law school,” said senior Camilo Baltodano.

  In a world where the future is increasingly uncertain, the promise of a better job after graduation is an appealing one, and it’s because of this that the number of students that apply to Ivy Leagues increases each year.

  At the end of the day, however, the Ivy League is not the only path to success. There are plenty of accomplished people who went to a state school, community college, or who didn’t go to college at all.

  “You don’t have to go to a prestigious school to be successful. Honestly, education is education,” said junior Anika Hibble.

  This year, don’t stress yourself out — join the clubs that sound fun, drop the extra AP class in your schedule, and enjoy your limited time at SLOHS.

Source: pewresearch.org