Fear of Not Doing Enough
Hello! I am currently a rising junior (going to 11th grade) and to be honest, I’m not striving for Ivies. My dream school is University of Florida and I understand that UF is very selective. I have a NASA internship under my belt, I have an independent research paper published under my name, I already have over sixty hours of volunteer service at hospitals (planning to get more), I started a medical club at my school, already have 33/60 credits for my AA (goal is to graduate with an AA!), am going to be an IB student, have taken 6 AP/AICE classes, and have one other medical related internship completed. When I write it out, I feel like it sounds like it’s a lot but it doesn’t feel that way. I constantly feel like I’m not doing enough to prepare myself for college applications and my future. Don’t get me wrong, I have a life and hang out with my friends at least weekly. But there’s always this gnawing suspicion in me that says that I’m not doing enough. Do any of you guys have an advice on how to combat this feeling? How to not feel like every second has to be spent doing something productive for your future? Thank you all for reading. <3
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2 answers
Hey there!
I can feel the same way...I start to get overly ambitious and then feel like I need to spend all my time productively.
However, I have to be realistic; we are young, growing people. I need to balance enjoying high school (which you can never replay!) and being productive. AND I also learned from a very wise person that there are enjoyable, productive things. Hobbies, for example, are a way I grow and learn about my talents and passions, which may or may not inspire me to take a certain career path. I love gardening and arranging flowers. I am SO glad I followed my parents' and mentor's advice to leave time for this interest because I am now preparing to make a career out of it. Another example is that I live reading historical fiction. I have "wasted" whole summer days reading books...but it was by no means a waste! My reading comprehension is high, I get excellent grades in English, got a 730 in ERW on the SAT, and have received awards/recognition for my creative writing.
We enjoy things for a reason, and normally, the things we love to do are what make us unique. So make space to breathe, rest, and enjoy life. Yes, high school is a big deal. College is a big deal. But both end at some point; it is only a fraction of your life. You don't need to wear yourself out preparing for these. By all means, do your best and work diligently, but balance. You are human and you need a break. Part of time management and good habit development is knowing when to stop.
I am not perfect at this :) Some days I procrastinate and other days I overachieve. Still learning myself how to balance. But it has gotten a lot better in the past year and I hope to continue developing good habits in my senior year. One thing I did this year was to set a time limit, use a timer, and then reward myself with a break, whether I used that time to rest, snack, or enjoy a hobby. Creating awards for yourself in the form of enjoyable breaks (like, if I finish this assignment by , I can go out with that friend) will actually improve you productivity if you are disciplining yourself to pay attention to the clock. With a timer, you are forcing yourself to work productively and this helps you resist jumping on your phone to scroll for a bit and then end up sitting there for an hour.
Hope this helps and lmk know if you have any questions!
bro you are already doing more than like 90% of people. you are going to get in dont worry and your resume is probably good enough for ivies too!!!!
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