You have to know your limits

While I think I managed to avoid most of the dreaded “senioritis” that can come with the last year of high school, I have still felt the burnout. This past Fall, I took my first of two mental health days during my time in high school, at my parents’ recommendation. I was stressing myself out to the point that I was starting to make myself actually sick. I had stayed up far too late for several nights in a row completing assignments, studying for tests and making preparations for college.

I hated staying home that day. I felt like I was failing where everyone else was succeeding. I was just missing out on more things to stress about and catch up on. The more I look back, though, the more I see it was necessary. Taking one day to breathe and take care of myself was not going to be the end of the world. I don’t condone skipping school, but you have to know your limits.

Looking back on my high school career, I realize I spent far too long equating my GPA with my self-worth and a packed schedule with high levels of success. What’s worse is that it’s not just me. This mentality is ingrained into so many students. There are so many of us who work so hard to be a success on paper that we ignore the fact that we are struggling in reality. Don’t misunderstand me, I have loved all of my extracurriculars and am extremely grateful to have had the opportunities to take AP classes and earn college credit. I would not be the same person I am today without these experiences. I just wish I had spent more time focusing on my mental health rather than my resume.