By Kelly Lee
Staff Writer
I miss the time when I’d count down the days until Christmas instead of finals. In the rush of childhood, responsibilities piled higher, and simple joys were replaced with new expectations. As I grow older, I can’t help but feel disappointed with every new birthday or holiday that rolls by, like everything I once looked forward to lost its magic.
Growing up seemed so exciting in the eyes of 10-year-old me, but as I got older, I couldn’t help but miss what I had before. As I entered middle school, I felt more and more confined to age-appropriate societal standards. As everyone around me rushed to shed their old ways, too impatient to grow up, I felt forced to do the same and let go of “childish” commodities like toys to fit in.
On top of that, teachers became stricter and schoolwork became more abundant. I failed to realize that growing up meant sacrificing my enjoyment for the bigger things in life. On the first day of middle school, I remember leaving my last class disappointed that the day consisted of going over rubrics and class rules instead of fun introduction games.
The elementary school playground I loved got replaced with the pressure of test scores, and break transitioned to a time for sitting around instead of playing with friends.
Going to school became a struggle of balancing homework, extracurriculars, sports and a social life. Compared to the innocent life I was leading as a fifth grader whose only worry was filling out the daily reading log, I yearn for a glimpse of a fun, filled school day, free of stress again.
According to mentalhealth.org, 50% of mental health problems begin at age 14. Without anything to balance out the rush of stress and work, more and more problems begin to arise. By neglecting the impact of joy and hope, we overlook the beginning of mental health issues.
Although our school holds numerous club events and school activities, it still feels lacking. Most of the time, these activities take place during lunchtime or office hours, which means students often must choose between spending their break participating in a short recreation or having a meal and seeking homework help. Since the time we have allotted for club meetings is so short, sometimes these activities are cut off early or not completed at all.
As a student, I hope to see more being done to uplift us. More field trips or breaks would be a great start. Teachers could incorporate more interactive lessons, instead of reading off slides, to keep students more engaged and regain their love for learning.
Let’s flip the script on growing up. It’s fine to go backwards once in a while and let go of the demanding expectations that overshadow our childhood happiness. By finding a balance, we can finally learn to embrace the child within us and regain a sense of wonder and excitement again.