Hunched backs. Droopy eyelids. Tear-stricken faces. The following are all symptoms that you experience frequently (or rather daily) in your life. The unmistakable cause? School.
There is no doubt in the world that education is incredibly important. It can singlehandedly change the lives of billions globally and make way for successful futures. Now, however, the fine line between learning for knowledge and learning for numbers on a report card has been drawn—and the effects are pretty darn evident.
After surveying a group of Californian teens, a study by Stanford researcher Denise Pope concluded that excessive homework leads to higher stress levels, bad health and less time for extracurricular activities. In fact, it may also lead to students “not meeting their developmental needs or cultivating other critical life skills.” Working more than the norm nightly confirms the theory that too much homework might be doing more harm than good. It doesn’t just end there.
Students rarely get an adequate amount of sleep per night due to homework, studying and extracurricular activities, leading to sleep deprivation. With the pressure of getting good grades and being accepted into a good college, students are tiring themselves out (both mentally and physically). Pope observed, “We found a clear connection between the students’ stress and physical impacts — migraines, ulcers and other stomach problems, sleep deprivation and exhaustion, and weight loss.”
Thanks to our flawed school systems, it is no wonder that our health is facing threats.
Being a student (particularly in high school) is no walk in the park. We are constantly worried day and night about all sorts of things. Responsibilities eventually get piled one on top of the other, leading to an endless load of stress. An algebra test next week. That biology essay due tomorrow. A book project. Semester exams. Hours worth of homework (daily). College applications. And said duties are only academic. Sometimes it’s as if people forget that students have things to do outside of school as well, including extracurriculars and other personal activities. Soccer practice. A drama play. Art club. A friend’s birthday party. Family dinner. A dance performance. Prom. The list is practically never-ending.
Combine excessive responsibilities and the gnawing pressure to succeed, and you’ve got yourself a recipe for disaster. Finding a balance between all of life’s demands is no easy task; the duties eventually end up feeling like a burden, and taking care of them can be incredibly difficult. Researchers from the previously mentioned Stanford study also concluded that students often find it hard to manage all these responsibilities, leading to the inevitable: more stress.
For starters, here’s what’s wrong. Is it really about the learning anymore? Or is it about getting a GPA high enough to beat your competition and wow the college of your choice?
“Numbers don’t define you.” They say. “But also, make sure you ace your tests with flying colors and get good grades and go to college unless you want to fail in life!” They add on. Frankly, the hypocrisy is ironic and comical. Granted, teachers and adults don’t use these exact words during their lectures (they prefer sugar-coating instead), but the underlying message is pretty obvious.
GPAs, class ranks, and SAT scores—to name a few—are some of the numbers that have seemingly taken over our lives. The stress of getting good grades and living up to everyone’s expectations (including our own) is constantly looming over us. Sadly, it isn’t even about learning anymore as much as it is about passing. These pressures often end up becoming suffocating, resulting in poor mental health.
Several often have misconceptions that a student’s dislike toward school is nothing but teen rebellion and mood swings. They couldn’t be more wrong. Speaking from firsthand experience, most students actually don’t dislike the idea of school or the education itself; they dislike the system and the stress that comes along with it.
Sure, school won’t last forever. Just a couple more years, and we’ll leave all this behind. But, unfortunately, the problems don’t just end there. We might get through this chaos until we have nothing left but a handful of memories, but is this what we want for our future generations? For our children? Do we want them crying at night, tearing themselves apart for one B on a test?
It’s time to really think this through. It’s time we bring forth a positive change that doesn’t involve ridding children of their smiles.
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