In American Studies this week, we watched a trailer for a film called Race to Nowhere. It is a documentary about the pressures that children and young adults feel from their parents, peers, and teachers do to exceptional in school. Kids are taught that school is the most important thing, that your grades will get you into a good college, and you will therefore live happily with a job that pays well and be able to support yourself and a family.However, I do not agree with this method of teaching, or even living. I think it is satisfying to be smart in school by your own standard, but by no means do I think grades are the most important aspect of a person growing up. It may seem so, considering the environment we live in, but I think someone who is really good at playing guitar, someone who is a great athlete, or someone that has an outstanding personality is just as important as someone who gets very good grades, and it can get you just as far in life. Parents and peers like to brag about their/their kid's grades, but the most important thing to me is being happy with what you do in your life, which does not always involve grades.
You have a good point, that doing what you love makes it more bearable, because you will be doing it for the rest of your life. However, you have to balance that with other factors. Will you have a family? Will you need to support them? What kind of lifestyle do you want for yourself or your future family? If you want to live a remotely similar lifestyle to what most people in this area do, then a job that pays well will be quintessential. One way to get a well-paying job is to get a good education, get good grades, and then get hired. This is why the grades are stressed. It is all a preparation for when you need to get a job. Parents really do have the best in mind for you.
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