Academic Pressure😪😪

Author: Temitope Eniserije

We all face the pressure of some sorts; it's not news. There will always be a wall to climb, a hurdle to jump, a goal to meet, a family to feed, a girl to impress... well, you get the point. Surprisingly, we don't talk about academic pressure enough. It is something we can all relate to. I mean, every student faces some kind of pressure in school, right? Even those with two heads.

" ...Assignments, tests, exams plus parents calling on weekends to remind me that I can’t fail... the pressure is always "werser". Wide range of expectations to meet and I got scared, had a serious degree of low self-esteem, stress, and anxiety because I didn’t meet expectations, I thought I couldn’t..."

You see, it's like this: low self-esteem results in a fear of failure, and if you are scared to fail, you most definitely will.

"... As for me, for every goal I didn’t meet, my confidence went down double..." When your confidence gets battered like that, over time you begin to reduce expectations from yourself and lower your standards/goals. You make mediocrity the norm.

"... Because I had low self-esteem, I would always isolate myself. I felt like I didn’t belong. That’s where PEER COMPARISON came into play, and it wasn't just limited to the school environment; social media also plays a significant role in that. Now, I would compare myself to my peers or "friends" who were doing very well in their lives (from the outside at least). This gave me a kind of fear—the fear of missing out, the fear that I may never experience what they have and the validation they got online. Like most adolescents, I needed validation, but I couldn’t get that kind of validation, and it messed with me badly..."

So you’ve seen now that like most of you, I was not different, even worse off. But I still managed to turn everything around (I’m still in the process).

#1 Understand that at the end of the day, it's just you and your life. Yes, you need friends, people who will see you through those tough times, but know that when it comes down to making those crucial decisions in your life, you're on your own. We cannot escape that; there will always be pressure, and so is life. You just need to know how to get through those pressures and come out stronger.

#2 As I said before, you need friends. This is an area many of us fail miserably because we do not know what to look for in people. We are more focused on their "social standing"/reputation than what they can add to us. Choose friends that can listen, relate to, and also be helpful. Friends that you can be yourself with, when you’re having fun and when you’re not.

#3 Be brave, give everything you have got. Face your challenges head-on. Know that to fail is human; it's how we conduct ourselves afterwards.

#4 Create time for fun and recreational activities. I recommend exercise too.

In the whirlwind of academic demands and the incessant comparison game, it's crucial to acknowledge the quiet but potent enemy within – self(-bullying). Just as we face external pressures, it's easy to become our harshest critics. We're all a work in progress, navigating through challenges and victories. Be as kind to yourself as you would be to your friend. Don't let self-doubt be the loudest voice in your head.

In the presence of the chaos of expectations, and comparisons, remember, it's your unique journey. Life isn't a race, and your worth isn't determined by a grade or someone else's success. Surround yourself with genuine friends who understand both your triumphs and struggles. And as you face pressures, keep in mind that setbacks are stepping stones, not roadblocks. Be resilient, and keep on pushing to become the person you aspire to be.

#Youcandoit!💜