I’ve always, or until recently, always been a straight A student. Last year I had a few A’s slip, now I’m down a little lower. I’m not afraid to say that. I’m slipping and I shouldn’t be.

It’s not “like me” as my parents call, “You can do better,” teachers say. I know I can, but I’m just not getting that 4.0 GPA that’s expected of me.

“That’s expected of me.” You’re supposed to do this and this and this. Piles of homework balanced on top of 8 plus hours at school everyday and work and then, when I can, sleep.

And suddenly this year I’ve realized that I study for tests and do all my homework and do all of these things because it’s what I’m supposed to do. It’s “expected” of me.

There is no doubt as to what is in the minds of most high school students as they go to sleep every night: I have too much to do. Tests, projects, jobs, and extracurricular activities are the ingredients of the perfect recipe for being well-rounded student … or for having a mental breakdown.

Now for kids like me, and most of Norths student body, my parents don’t have all the money in the world. They can’t afford the smartphones every month. Nor can they pay for my brother and I to have the designer clothes and for us to do all the things we want to do as teens. So we work. We work to pay for the things that society thinks we need.

And on top of school and work? We have the things colleges call extracurricular activities. Science bound, student council, volunteer hours, the things colleges like to see on applications. The things that make you a “well rounded student”. What shows you can balance all of those things on top of school and well life of a highschool student.

I have my mom in on ear saying, “Have fun while you’re young..” And my dad in the other wanting me to take whatever work hours I get thrown my way. Then the teachers wanting me to study more, and take AP classes, and stay after school. Then I have the things I want to do, like hang out with friends, and for goodness sakes, sleep!

Its like they say, choose 2 things: good grades, social life, or sleep.

On top of all this stress of worrying about our highschool grades and what is expected of us as teens, we also have the stress of our future.

We grow up with the question branded in our minds. What do you want to be when you grow up. The goals we set for ourselves in kindergarten. The question that is asked all 12 years of school. Our answers constantly change. From singer to doctor to lawyer. The professions that make the most money but don’t always make you happy in the end.

It’s changed a few times for me even in my two years of highschool. From an EMT to owning my own photography studio and recently, even enlisting has crossed me mind.

Everyday, on top of my daily activities, I have the question of what I want to do when I’m older. College, working right out of highschool, enlisting so I don’t have to pay for college, the possibilities are endless. What do I even want to study in college. What is going to pay the bills when I graduate highschool.

And all I can think of every time, is I am only… a sophomore. Give me some space.