We’ve all heard it since grade school: “Do or do not. There is no try.” “Early is on time, on time is late.” “I know you can add more.” Color-coded cards displayed our behavior for all to see, an unsigned planner or practice sheet resulted in punishment, and still, as we enter higher education, productivity is often prioritized over mental well-being.
Like many Gen Zers, much of my self-worth has been tied to academic excellence. I got my first (and last) B of my high school career in AP World History and felt distraught about it for the entirety of winter break. I saw critical comments on my essays as personal attacks, not learning opportunities. Whenever a friend accomplished something admirable or got into a college that I didn’t or seemed like she was ahead of me in some way, I suddenly viewed our relationship as a competition. I felt safe when I felt like I was the best.
College has presented a new series of challenges: not only do most of us still feel pressure to get good grades, but we now feel pressure to intern, study abroad, and join more clubs than we can handle. The summer before freshman year, I saw a meme of a tombstone with the epitaph “didn’t network.” As an eighteen-year-old who didn’t really know what career path she wanted to pursue, this immediately invoked in me a fear-induced motivation to achieve. I decided on a major, got involved on campus and attended as many resume workshops as humanly possible. I feel fairly accomplished as a sophomore, but I realize that none of my endeavors were tackled out of genuine interest or passion. Mostly, I am just fearful.
Much of this generation’s newfound stress comes from an emergence of unsolicited honesty in the digital landscape-–you can’t scroll on TikTok or LinkedIn or Apple News without being bombarded with opinions and experiences and predictions about the economy and the job market. Dropout Blog is saying that college degrees are useless, but the girl who sits behind you in class just landed a job as a social media manager in San Fransisco. Teachers are quitting the scene due to insufficient salaries but you just saw a video about how to romanticize a low-income lifestyle by going zero-waste and buying second-hand. One person is preaching the importance of doing what makes you happy! and regretting going into finance because their career doesn’t fuel their soul. The next person has their CashApp in their bio.
Gen Z doesn’t know exactly what to do, so we feel like we have to do it all. But that’s not always true. I’m trying to unlearn unhealthy habits that used to put measurable achievements above personal gratification. Sometimes just taking a walk, taking out my guitar or taking a moment to zoom out on the trajectory of my life helps me avoid getting caught up in the ups and downs of day-to-day life.
I feel safe when I feel like I’m the best, but I’ve learned that growth doesn’t guarantee safety. Usually, it’s pretty uncomfortable, and that’s okay.