We all know the stereotype. The Advanced Placement student who starts every conversation recounting how many hours of homework they had last night. The student who tries to make their problems into our problems through excessive complaining. Some would argue that they should take responsibility for their actions alone, while others would argue that talking things out with your friends is the best way to handle your problems.

“We signed up for these classes, so we need to follow through on them,” said junior cross country star Callum Bolger. “Learn to manage your time well, and the rest falls into place,” he claims, despite having “four hours of homework and two hours of running per day,” all the while getting to bed by “10:00 every night.” It’s true that we’ve signed up for these commitments, but that doesn’t automatically make our complaints unfair. “Some people need to complain, and I respect that. I just think it’s annoying,” says Bolger.

Could complaining about these classes be justified? Junior and aspiring acrobat Natalie Sada believes so, explaining that “I get very stressed, and I’m a naturally open person. Talking it out with my friends helps. We all do it,” said Sada, “Try to keep it positive, but everybody needs a release. We have a right to complain.”

Some days, this right to complain feels more like a necessity. America’s school system doesn’t allow for much less than perfection – evident in decreasing college acceptance rates and increasing average Grade Point Averages. Four AP classes and straight A’s is seen as the baseline to many colleges, and a variety of extracurriculars and volunteer activities are necessary to catch their attention. As Sada said, “College acceptance is a game, a very difficult one that you can never truly ‘win’.” Sometimes our entire lives as students revolve around getting into college, a terrifying reality that could stress out even the most diligent of students. The simple truth is that AP students lead stressful lives, and not everybody can handle this stress without a release.

If you find yourself as a complaining AP student, maybe it’s time to find a more constructive release. Find a sport, a relationship or a hobby that counteracts the stress you’re feeling. Senior Hadden Wright explained, “Take some time for yourself, stop worrying, and learn to relax.”