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"I care too much, want to share too much, in my head too much." - Kendrick Lamar, Count Me Out |
This is not a timely article, but it is something that I hope can be applied to other people who may possess the same mindset as me. Over the past few days, I’ve been pondering this question: Why do I keep going?
There’s so much happening in my life right now, and it seems like I’ve almost gotten to the point of breaking and giving up. Mental health is an issue that not only affects me but everyone. It is something that is deeply rooted in the development of our society, and while it gets focus, it is rarely talked about in depth.
The year is currently 2023. As it stands, I have already made my new year's goals list–it has about 30 things on it–and I've continued my classes. The first two weeks of school have been boring: at the time of writing this article, I currently have assignments to do for AP Calc, APUSH, Anatomy, and African American Literature. That's ON TOP on having to learn how to play “Lift Every Voice and Sing” for the Black History Assembly. And of course, there's also that Spanish story that I have to translate by Monday night. Oh, and I have a summer program essay due in a few weeks, a fundraiser to plan, AND six club meetings to go to next week. I'm literally writing this at the round break in a chess tournament, after I just lost a game.
There’s so much happening in my life right now, and it seems like I’ve almost gotten to the point of breaking and giving up. Mental health is an issue that not only affects me but everyone. It is something that is deeply rooted in the development of our society, and while it gets focus, it is rarely talked about in depth.
The year is currently 2023. As it stands, I have already made my new year's goals list–it has about 30 things on it–and I've continued my classes. The first two weeks of school have been boring: at the time of writing this article, I currently have assignments to do for AP Calc, APUSH, Anatomy, and African American Literature. That's ON TOP on having to learn how to play “Lift Every Voice and Sing” for the Black History Assembly. And of course, there's also that Spanish story that I have to translate by Monday night. Oh, and I have a summer program essay due in a few weeks, a fundraiser to plan, AND six club meetings to go to next week. I'm literally writing this at the round break in a chess tournament, after I just lost a game.
That said: this wasn't supposed to be a rant.
I wanted to write this article because I am constantly finding myself asking the question, "What is the meaning of it all?" I don't mean to go on a philosophical tangent, but this is something that has always stuck with me, even more so in the past few years: I wonder if all of my ambitions really have a meaning to them. With the type of person I am, I feel like I'm constantly in need of improvement, but at the same time, I feel like I'm hitting a wall in life and can't grow any further. Many people say I may need to take a break or get therapy or something, and all of this advice has been listened to and taken into consideration, but there's something else.
Failure and ambition are essential parts of life. My concern lies in the fact that so many people, especially teenagers the same age as I, feel misunderstood, and aren't able to express their emotions. It's known that mental health among young people isn't really addressed. The question I want to know the answer to is, why?
At some point, everyone has felt burdened, isolated, angry, or just sad. When I asked a few students at Brooks about their mental health, a lot of them agreed that they did not have an outlet, save for creative ones such as sports, writing, or art. Brooks is a school that focuses on academics, which is totally fine. However, I think there needs to be more focus on mental health.
The thought that there are multiple people out there who share my same issues should be emphasized more. Take failed ambition with the inability to be understood or express your emotions with people, and what do you get? An existential crisis.
I wanted to write this article because I am constantly finding myself asking the question, "What is the meaning of it all?" I don't mean to go on a philosophical tangent, but this is something that has always stuck with me, even more so in the past few years: I wonder if all of my ambitions really have a meaning to them. With the type of person I am, I feel like I'm constantly in need of improvement, but at the same time, I feel like I'm hitting a wall in life and can't grow any further. Many people say I may need to take a break or get therapy or something, and all of this advice has been listened to and taken into consideration, but there's something else.
Failure and ambition are essential parts of life. My concern lies in the fact that so many people, especially teenagers the same age as I, feel misunderstood, and aren't able to express their emotions. It's known that mental health among young people isn't really addressed. The question I want to know the answer to is, why?
At some point, everyone has felt burdened, isolated, angry, or just sad. When I asked a few students at Brooks about their mental health, a lot of them agreed that they did not have an outlet, save for creative ones such as sports, writing, or art. Brooks is a school that focuses on academics, which is totally fine. However, I think there needs to be more focus on mental health.
The thought that there are multiple people out there who share my same issues should be emphasized more. Take failed ambition with the inability to be understood or express your emotions with people, and what do you get? An existential crisis.
I want anybody reading this article to know this: If you want to start personal growth and achievement, you need to do this: accept everything the way it is. Despite struggles and feelings of being overwhelmed, just know these are natural stages of life that will pass. Try indulging yourself in a hobby to distract yourself, take frequent breaks, and form connections with people who care about you. I think setting boundaries is also an important part of growth. Understanding when you're valued can help a lot. I've struggled with this a lot- but I kept the mindset that I can overcome and become stronger. I hope we all can learn this lesson along the different roads that we choose to take.
Chase Jones
