Student life has always been romanticized as carefree and exploratory- but like every other classic romantic love story, does this end in tragedy too? Does it truly hold the power to make us a millionaire or does it just add to our struggles? Unfortunately, today’s picture is somewhat like the latter- endless deadlines, unpaid internships, and the looming fear of “falling behind”. I believe that in the relentless pursuit of building a stellar CV, we forget to actually build the person in the CV!
THE PRESSURE COOKER
Adolescence and early adulthood- the stages most students are in- are also sensitive periods for brain development. The prefrontal cortex is still developing, responsible for decision-making, impulse control, long-term planning, and is still developing. This makes students more vulnerable to stressors.
Constant comparison is the new norm- whether it’s academic scores, social media achievements, or linkedin profiles. Students experience chronic stress. (American Psychological Association (2018)). Such a prolonged state of anxiety can affect memory, concentration, and even emotional resilience (Lupien, S. J., McEwen, B. S., Gunnar, M. R., & Heim, C. (2009)) . The fear of not being “enough” or “ahead” not only hampers growth but also leads to burnout, depression, and anxiety disorders.
THE NEW RACE
We all must have seen memes on how desperately students chase internships more than they chase sleep. From first-year freshers, final-year undergraduates, to postgraduates- everyone is in a rush to stack their resumes with work experience, achievements, and certificates- sometimes at the cost of learning itself! Yes, internships are important. But when the motivation to intern shifts from curiosity to comparison, they simply become another marathon bib, and not the journey of growth.
A lot of students these days feel guilty for taking a break or choosing to rest. There is a constant pressure to be “doing something”, even on vacations. If you are not interning, volunteering or upskilling- you are (supposedly) wasting your time.
HUSTLE CULTURE
Hustle culture breeds students in a way that they perceive rest as laziness, sleep as a sign of weakness and productivity as the only thing that equals worth. It makes them believe that caffeine and 80-hour work weeks are the only road to success. This mindset normalizes exhaustion and romanticizes overworking. But what we often forget is that burnout won’t ask for our schedule before arrival! It sneaks up on us and shuts us down.
Students today are not just learning subjects- they are learning how to perform constantly. This constant need to prove oneself- to teachers, peers and future employers- turns education into a fierce competition, leaving no scope for exploration.
TURN RIGHT FOR HOPE
Hope is just around the corner of the place where students speak up about this! Everyone is now starting to recognize that emotional well-being is not just a “soft skill”- it’s a survival skill. Institutions are slowly introducing wellness cells, therapy services and peer support systems.
The most beautiful part about all this is that students themselves are advocating for a better world. They are building communities that value empathy over ego, balance over burnout and connection over competition.
If you have reached till this part of the article then I have something to say to you- you are not behind in your life; your rest is not laziness or slacking; you are allowed to change your path; you don’t need to prove your worth. You are already worth it!
How about we rewrite the tragic ending of this story and make this into a real love story? The happy ending we want doesn’t need to be the loudest, fastest and most decorated. Sometimes, it can just be surviving a difficult long day and showing up again. Sometimes, it’s choosing joy over fear. Curiosity over pressure. Peace over hustle.
Keep reminding yourself that you are more than your productivity, you are more than that CV and learn to choose yourself too sometimes. You are a person, you are becoming and you’ve got this!