In today's society, we are consistently told how the young face very different challenges and burdens than those faced by our parents and previous generations. Young people are beginning to wonder if we can continue to cope with the pressures we face. Looking at the Big Picture, we tell ourselves that a test does not mean the world but still fret over not getting in that extra hour of studying which can make the differnce between an A or a B. In this day and age you have to be ahead of the game to be successful, and if you aren't, the fear of mediocrity generally surfaces.

It is typical to find many stressed overachievers who stretch themselves too thin through an overwhelming amount of extracurricular activities, community service, and challenging academic classes. However, it is even more typical to find young people who are just trying to find a way to balance their lives. In addition, there are those who have given up in regard to school and only make a half-hearted effort. Some argue those students just can't deal with school in addition to the other stresses in their personal lives, while others just fail to rise to any challenge. More interestingly, there is an increasing amount of students who claim they do not try in school and do not get involved because they fear they will fail. "I just don't try because I figure that it's better to fail and know I didn't try than to fail and know I put my time and effort into it," one student told me. The absence of commitment, attention, and will to try does not necessarily mean the student does not care. These people feel they are "beating the system."

Some who struggle through adolescence will be able to look back fondly at their high school years, while others will remember stress and near nervous breakdowns. It is frustrating that many who suffer throughout the school year and work themselves to the core will not even be accepted to the schools of their choice. This is the reason that more and more people just give up and just stop trying; one struggling peer and friend asked me, "What's the point?" For many, the work ethic is still there and consistently followed, but for how long will students continue to give in to what is demanded of them if they feel they aren't receiving adequate compensation for their drudgery? Are the demands and competition in society and education really helping to build a stronger foundation for the next generation? Or is it breaking us with a slow but sure deterioration of ambition and leadership for the future?

Christina Collins is a senior at La Pietra School for Girls. She is currently applying for college and plans to double major in Communications and Journalism. This article was submitted to the Hawaii Reporter for consideration.