By: Uma Ribeiro
Staff Writer
Everyone takes pride in working hard – but when does the line cross over from hard work to burning out? Burnout is the result of one overworking themselves into a state of utter mental and physical exhaustion. High school students across the country have exhibited signs of burnout and students at Hammond are no exception.
recuperate from a long night of studying. Picture Credit: Uma Ribeiro
There is no question that parents and teachers encourage their children and students to get good grades and be hardworking, but when does that pressure become too much? Sophomore Iyore Osazuwa feels the pressure comes from parents and family. “I do [feel pressured to get good grades] because [family members] are always telling us that our future depends on it, and they’re always encouraging us to take higher classes, but the homework in those classes is a bit too much, and they also encourage us to squeeze in fun activities that we just don’t have the time for…during freshman year I sacrificed a lot of sleep in order to get work done and maintain my good grades.”
Although parental pressure is unanimously cited as a main cause of burnout, most students also share the blame. Students will greatly overwork themselves in fear of not achieving success or getting into the college of their choice. Interests are thrown aside to study, which can cause lack of motivation and lead to losing the love of learning.
High School Students will sacrifice their lunchtime to study, or will lose the five extra hours of sleep they needed in order to ace an assignment. Is jeopardizing mental and physical health really something to be proud of? Burnout has been known to lead to various long-term mental health problems, such as depression and anxiety disorders, as well as extreme irritability and various physical health issues in the long run.
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