School, clubs, work, and homework. School, clubs, work, and homework. Every morning, I’d haul myself onto the 6:40 a.m. bus for a 7:30 a.m. class, only to stay at school until 5:40 p.m. (if I was lucky), juggling back‑to‑back club meetings and extracurriculars. By the time I got home, I still had hours of homework for AP classes waiting—an endless grind that left little room for binge‑watching or hanging out with friends. I’m willing to bet that many graduating seniors (and underclassmen still slogging through it) know this routine all too well.
After four years at LM, I watched the toll this cycle takes: friendships shattering, stress‑induced hair loss, anxiety and low moods sprouting from late‑night slide edits and the pursuit of that next grade bump in AP Language and Composition. Obsessing over an A- versus an A might seem harmless, but when it defines your self‑worth, it turns toxic. We all need to learn when “enough” really is enough. Don’t become the annoying kid that no one wants to work with because you do too much, bothering others at midnight because they didn’t make a slide the “right way.”
Yet, stepping back doesn’t mean opting out of everything. In fact, I discovered the opposite when I decided to perform a stand-up comedy act on Amazing Ace—despite being terrified of public speaking. Adding one more commitment sounded insane, but the rush of doing something I genuinely loved surprisingly eased my stress. There’s a unique peace in doing the things you love, not just the things you’re expected to do.
A college freshman friend of mine recently told me of how freeing it felt to leave our programmed suburban routines. She also told me about a fellow alumnus who, after four years of non-stop grinding, went on to a top university—yet felt unfulfilled despite all his accomplishments. That goes to show that if you can’t find contentment in your everyday lifestyle, and if you never pause to breathe, the biggest achievements might still feel empty.
As you pack your bags for college, no matter how scary these next chapters of your life may seem,
remember to hang on to the breaks. Pressing pause isn’t a weakness; it’s the fuel for growth, peace, and genuine happiness. So spare us the nonstop Instagram stress confessions and grant yourself permission to rest. In those quiet moments, you’ll find the balance that makes your journey, that is life, worthwhile.
