Society has conditioned the idea of perseverance into our minds. And that’s not necessarily a bad thing. I learned that I had to work hard to achieve my goals. After all, nothing worthwhile comes easy. We are subject to phrases like “when the going gets tough, the tough get going” and “winners never quit, and quitters never win.” This mindset has resulted in a stigma when it comes to quitting an activity. It’s seen as a sign of failure or laziness. I lived my life believing I should only give up when I have no other choice. It began to damage my mental health. I not only worried about the judgement of others, but I worried about judging myself. It wasn’t until quarantine, when I was forced to stop some activities, where I realized how I want to allocate my time.
In high school, I was so focused on the activities I’d do for college. But I wanted to show perseverance instead of passion. I didn’t quit a single activity in four years. I genuinely believed it would look bad if I did. In ninth grade, I joined my school’s theater program. I loved acting because it gave me the freedom to express my energy creatively. It used to be the highlight of my high school career. But as time went on, my enjoyment of it deteriorated. I eventually realized that it was because I changed. I’m not the same person I was when I was fourteen. I decided to utilize my creativity in other mediums. I took an interest in writing and photography. But, I kept on doing theater. Solely because I thought that if I quit, the colleges I applied to would think less of me. And the horrible thing is they probably would have to an extent. The association of idleness with quitting is ingrained in every aspect of society.
I’m not saying quitting is the solution to every hardship. Many times, persistence is the key to finding lifelong happiness. But, the importance of mental health shouldn’t be ignored. If something genuinely makes us miserable, after giving it time, we should quit without facing repercussions. If a class is stressing you out, drop it. If an extracurricular is unenjoyable, don’t feel the need to keep doing it. You gave it a chance, and that’s what’s important. The negative connotation with quitting needs to be removed because it leads to prioritizing others before yourself.