Kendelle+G’s+OpEd+Article



Whatever happened to stopping to smell the roses every once in a while, enjoying life, and not stressing over the little things?

Why can't I feel like a careless kindergartener again, where the only thing I was worried about was if we were having spaghetti or tacos for dinner? What has happened? I am 17 years old now, but I feel like I have been stressed out for the past 4 years of my life! My mom tells me I worry too much and that I put too much pressure on myself, and maybe she's right, but is it wrong to want to succeed so badly? In a world where education means everything, everyone is looking towards a happy and healthy future where they can comfortably support themselves even in a bad economy. Everyone is working towards the same goal. Success in high school and college, to me, will lead to a job that I love and a happy life overall. So basically, my entire future is depending on my high school career. Awesome. Ever since I was in elementary school, I have dreamed of becoming a doctor and I knew it is what I wanted to do. I've just always thought the whole subject was very intriguing. Although I know years and years at medical school will not be exactly the most stress free environment, I'm hoping it will all be worth it in the end. That I did not stress for nothing.

Stress intensifies as students strive for near impossible GPA's, passing the AP tests, getting a good score on the SAT and ACT, getting into a great college, finding a career and ultimately supporting a family. Today, many students (myself included on some occasions) care more about the final grade than the actual education received from a class because colleges are immensely competitive. It's a cruel world we live in.

Allowing yourself to be stressed out for extensive periods of time makes you miss out on the good stuff going on in your life now. You never truly appreciate what you have until you've lost it. So if you find yourself stressed (like me), just know that there are so many more positive and important things going on in your life than the one thing you are worried about, and everyone should make a little time to pause and smell the roses in their life.