No matter where, no matter when, there will always be the student that is known to everybody as “the overachiever.” Everyone knows who they are, what they do, and at times, may even mock them behind their back just for being that way. They’re called “teachers’ pets” or “kiss-ups.” Any name that gets the point across will work. It’s all they care about. They work and work and work. They must be perfect at this, they must get a good grade, they must play this sport, they must, they must, they must. They will stay up all hours of the night, all to make sure they do well. At times, they may even sacrifice spending time with friends in order to do something. And even further, they may give up a social life, period. I only know this, because I’m an overachiever myself.
My senior year schedule consists of three AP courses, an audition-only wind ensemble, a mandatory gym and health class, and to soften my load, a general chemistry course. I am always striving to be the best, to be number one, even though I’m number eighty-two out of four-hundred-and-ten. I have to keep my grades fairly high, or else I feel like I failed. However, failing can be anything from a 99 to a dreaded 60. It just all depends. But even I’m human, and at times, everything just gets to me.
The stress, the pressure, the strive, the ambition. Eventually, overachievers may just snap and break. They crash from everything and everyone around them always expecting so much from them. They want no more to do with their academics, and just want to relax for a while. They may start slacking off, blowing off things, making up things: homework, projects, lies, excuses, anything to make it easier. Overachievers need breaks too. They need to find the healthy balance between the ballpoint and the beach ball. Everything is about balance and the overachiever may have a slightly harder time finding it.
Overachievers are people too, though, as we all have to remember. Yes, I may empathize with the group, but in reality, I’m just a normal person, just with a bit more flair, and not the kind you find on Facebook. The main thing is to find balance, like the balance, and stick with it.
