Defined by the American Psychological Association as the “physical, emotional or mental exhaustion accompanied by decreased motivation, lowered performance and negative attitude towards oneself and others,” burnout is becoming exceedingly relevant in the lives of high school students. The onset of increasingly competitive college admissions combined with the social pressure to succeed has created a lethal combination that is hurting the livelihood of young people.
Especially at the high school level, the future is almost always on the forefront of students’ minds. Preparing for college, finding a suitable career path and building acceptable social habits are all consuming for adolescents. At Hudson, with hundreds of high performing people, the problem with burnout is amplified. Unbeknownst to much of its population, Hudson High School is ranked first in the Akron Metro Area, ninth in Ohio and 401st in the Nation for academic performance in public schools by the US News and World Report. For students, success is often downplayed and expected, leading to acute stress that can come from a variety of sources, whether it be family members, peers, teachers or themselves.
On various social media platforms, TikTok and Pinterest especially, themes of academic validation have been brought further into the light of the public eye with posts highlighting an impossibly productive figure who never fails and never gets below an A+. Obviously, it is nearly impossible to maintain that type of success, being that other aspects of social life, athletics, and work all tie into a busy schedule. The issue with these posts is that the effects and provisions which accompany academic validation are being romanticized. When a population “romanticizes” something, it means they are crafting its portrayal in a way that makes it more attractive or interesting than it realistically is. In the instance of academic validation, the romantic aspect can be harmful. For example, students may idealize taking countless AP classes or overreaching themselves in order to show their success. In reality, pushing yourself too far in academics in hopes to impress others rather than focus on your interests will create a destructive habit which, in time, leads to burnout.
Similar to the need to engage in a strenuous academic schedule is the pressure of college looming over students’ heads nearly every day. Although the stress is predominantly concentrated in upperclassman years, all high school students are noticing increasingly competitive college applications and classroom settings. For many, it seems like the only way to be accepted to the college of your choice is to participate in every extracurricular offered in high school. Specifically, The Ohio State University, a favorite for HHS graduates, is showing this change. Statistically, OSU’s acceptance rate has dipped from its average of 54.07% in the last ten years to a rate of 50.82% in the 2023/2024 enrollment period. In tandem with lower acceptance rates, the number of applicants to colleges all over the country have increased by about 2.6%. These increases and decreases create a dangerous combination that forces students to habitually overwork themselves in order to thrive in the workplace as well as their plans for future schooling.
Although the stress of school, athletics and work combined leads to burnout, it is important to note that having a high work ethic is important to success. While overworking creates destructive habits; hard work creates opportunity. The problem for current and upcoming generations is the normalization of working oneself to the point of exhaustion. Unfortunately, this regularization is a contributor to irreversable situations of creative burnout; that being suicide. It may seem extreme for such a miniscule idea as taking up extra classes or hours of work, but there have been significant links from suicide rates to long hours on the job. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “The odds for moderate to severe suicidal ideation are about four times greater in those with job strain or those who reported long work hours.”
Despite the fact that these irreversible situations of creative exhaustion are somewhat rare, special attention should still be focused on reversing burnout. There are easy ways to backpedal and rejuvenate before applying yourself healthily to challenges and goals. For example, counseling is a wonderful way to work through creative blocks, tough emotions and the bumps of life’s road. If counseling is not needed, then even things as simple as crafting, exercising, being around people you love and taking time for yourself can help.
Especially in high school, burning out is not a joke. While the high values of success in life should fuel you to work hard, they should not consume your life. As the world becomes more and more competitive and its standards higher, focus on a healthy balance between work and self care; prioritizing your morals and aspirations rather than the thoughts of others.
