How do You Spell High School? – S-T-R-E-S-S

How do You Spell High School? – S-T-R-E-S-S

When I ask people what their most memorable times are, most tell me that their most memorable times occurred in high school. I entered high school a year ago, and it has been fun, but very, very stressful. I try to organize and make time for everything that I am assigned to do, but still everything seems to bunch up and become overwhelming. Sometimes I just want to give up and stop trying so hard.

I don’t just feel pressure from school, but from my family and society as well. Since I am Hispanic, I am expected to defy all those stereotypes that people might have of Hispanics. Some examples of these stereotypes are that Hispanics are not well educated, that they are always loud and that pregnancy occurs at a young age. I might be loud sometimes, but I am very educated and I am not considering having a baby any time soon. But still my parents expect me to exceed all expectations and be the very best, which is pretty hard.

Since second grade I was in the Gifted and Talented Program, which is a program for students who are a bit more advanced than their grade level. I was in that program until fourth grade and then I entered the Delta Program at Booker T. Washington M.S. 54. The Delta Program is also for students that are a bit more advanced than their grade level, and in that course I found it very hard to be the best. For the four years that I was in that school, the most I could do was get in the Honor Roll, and for the last two years it wasn’t very easy. My parents always told me that I had to have good grades and get a scholarship to a good college and that was how it was going to be. Before, it didn’t bother me and I would just do everything I was told to do, but now, it is getting very stressful because the work is getting harder and I find myself with more responsibilities.

Some studies show that many Hispanics either drop out of high school or don’t ever get to college. Because of this, I am expected to do very well in school and make it into a good college. I am not saying that it isn’t something I want, but this goal seems very difficult, because the stress I am experiencing is working against me and slowing me down instead of pepping me up and encouraging me to keep moving ahead.