Scholarships, AIMs, SATs. Sports, clubs, siblings. These are just a few reasons given by parents, teachers, and relatives, telling you to do well in school. We are constantly pushed and prodded to succeed and excel in high school. With every choice we make we’re being watched and evaluated. Watchful eyes see every grade we get from the beginning of freshman year, and even before that. Anyone from our siblings to college applications can see our choices. And that puts a lot of pressure on us as students to do well.

But then, who is the main source of the demands? Many would say it’s yourself. Your worst critic is yourself is a commonly known phrase. You put yourself up to high standards, and strain to be perfect, too. So do your parents. Your parents care a lot about you and what you get, as their son or daughter. They have faith in you to do well, and have high expectations for you. Your teachers are the ones you want to please the most, to get the grades you want.

Everyone wants us to do well in school; our future depends on it. Keep in mind: eyes are watching you, waiting for the wrong move to wreck your life. Don’t blow it. But at the same time, have fun! High school is fun, so enjoy it while its here, then find out where you are when it’s the past. You want to be able to look back on your four years here and smile, not groan and roll your eyes in regret.