It’s no secret that Seven Hills is full of students thriving both academically and extracurricularly. Think of any student at our school. Are they involved in sports? Taking an honors or AP class? Involved in a club? Chances are the answer is yes. We are a community that is committed to development both inside and outside of the classroom, and the school provides many opportunities for students to explore and find their niche. From the Club Fair to the Homecoming Picnic, new activities are constantly presented to the student body, urging students to really get involved at Seven Hills.
Being heavily involved in the community while balancing difficult classes definitely has its benefits. You get to meet lots of new friends through extracurriculars while also challenging yourself to learn and develop academically in the classroom. This can be incredibly appealing to colleges, as you are actively demonstrating your commitment to your personal growth.
However, these expectations that are unintentionally placed on students to excel in all of these areas can create an immense amount of pressure that impacts their well-being. Junior Lily Fraser said, “It can be really overwhelming at times, and even though the pressure can be beneficial to our growth as students, it can lead to a lot of stress.” When students are expected to learn all day at school, go to a sports game or practice after, then rush home to do all of their homework and study for the next day, it can trigger a burnout, where students feel unmotivated to continue their dedication to all of these different areas of their lives.
Some students argue that they thrive off of this pressure and believe that it is a key aspect of the Seven Hills experience. Senior Thurmund Ellison said, “While it can be stressful, the pressure can also be used as a motivator. It pushes you to work harder and strive for excellence, and it also can help you develop important skills like resilience and organization when you are balancing so many things at once.” By gaining all of these key skills of dedication and perseverance, students are preparing themselves for college, where they will be balancing all of these activities, classes, and even more.
Since this pressure may be an inevitable aspect of the Seven Hills experience, students have found ways to balance this pressure with self-care to improve their overall well-being. Avani Shah, who is heavily involved in the Seven Hills community, finds her own way to deal with this “pressure to be perfect.” Shah said, “After a long day of work, I like to come home and separate myself from all of the stress at school. I prioritize spending time with my family and relaxing by myself to wind down.” It’s important to discover your own ways to balance this stress and improve your wellbeing to prevent the common burnout that students face every year.
To really make the most out of Seven Hills, students should take advantage of all the opportunities given to them. Get involved, join that club, take that hard class! But to save yourself from the burnout that students commonly face, find a routine that works for you to unwind, and separate yourself from the pressures of school. Remember that these temporary pressures will set you up for long-term future success, so never give up on your pursuits!
