Self-Respect

1225 Words3 Pages

As we find ourselves held prisoner to four years of constraints, deadlines, and all-nighters, high school can be whirlwind of trials and tribulations. As emphasis is placed on academic excellence and social involvement, many students lose themselves in the mix, lacking self-respect. Self-respect and esteem issues are a constant threat to the average teenager. The worries of acceptance and success weigh on their minds. Being attentive to those can increase their level of respect/esteem. With this increase there is a risk. High self esteem individuals are more prone to interpersonal violence as a result of an inflated self concept. The happy balance between high and low is crucial; but the positives outweigh the negatives. Individuals with high self esteem are less susceptible to insomnia, are not as conforming, and are less shy. Those with a low self esteem are linked to failure in school, substance abuse, eating disorders, and teenage pregnancy. With that, the emphasis on self-respect and esteem at NHS needs immediate attention. As a teen, the struggle for self-respect is imperative to success, happiness, and life. In relation to Northville High School, it’s sufficient to say that our student body is a melting pot of positive and negative self-respect image individuals. With an affluent district such as Northville, image and perfection seem to be striven for. The pressure to perform with such criteria is daunting, and ultimately takes a toll on an individual. Northville takes great pride in its quality of education. With that, students find themselves in competitive environments with some of the best and brightest pupils. The presence of self-respect in response to this stress at NHS is indeed poor. Too many classmates engage i... ... middle of paper ... ...hey in fact can’t say the same of themselves? As we depart from this school year and make way for the 2010-2011 calendar year, we hope that change and persistence is a focus of concern in relation to self-respect and esteem. With a student body of over 2,000 it can be challenging to meet the needs of all students; but with the overall wellbeing of the school as a final product, the milestones and tactics to reach that success seem miniscule. Why shouldn’t the students’ personal growth be the center of attention? Isn’t the objective of high school to find one’s self? How can all be achieved if the student isn’t recognized? So, as another year comes and goes, we sincerely hope that the students, teachers, and administrators rally forces next year to increase the self-respect concept at Northville; because how can one respect others if they can’t respect themselves?

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