I recently read a really good blog (http://forkednighties.blogspot.com/) and one of her posts was about how the pressure to succeed for this generation’s youth is so much higher than it used to be. She goes on to say that college students are checking into a form of therapeutic office on campus so much so that there are too many patients.
Kids these days have really got it hard as far as education goes. Now the new average is a B, A students are pretty smart, and A+ kids with over 4.0 (which really shouldn’t even be possible) are the ones who’ve got it made for their future. Kids (and by kids I mean young high school/college students) are getting loads of homework a night and often have to get tutors just to keep up. There are many high school students that stay up until midnight or later just to finish their homework after their extra-curricular activities. Most have to wait until the weekend to actually see their friends but sometimes, they already have work or sports or music taking place of that.
The Associated Press released a study on young people’s anxiety on January 28th of 2010 with one professor saying "It's another piece of the puzzle — that yes, this does seem to be a problem, that there are more young people who report anxiety and depression," says Jean Twenge, a San Diego State University psychology professor.
Now, whether this means kids are just being more open about it in this decade or whether they do have more problems and stress is up for debate. Personally, I believe kids my age get way more pressure to become successful than in previous generations. Not only do we have to be smart in school, but we have to have a high degree in order to just get into middle-class jobs. A lot more is on the line now than before and I think there are plenty of kids who are feeling the stress from it.
No comments:
Post a Comment