Education has always been deemed as a requisite for any teenager seeking a triumphant and successful life. However, many are inclined to forget about their mental well-being whilst having a rampant obsession with excelling in their academics. “Do your best” is a proclaimed “motivating” phrase that students always hear, which exacerbates the burden of pressure on them. Yes, they should do their “best”, but not at the expense of their mental health. Also, the students’ capacity is different every day; doing their best fluctuates day after day. The education system has shaped the students to prioritize getting a high GPA and ignore the precursor to their academic achievements – which is the stability of their mental health.
The Education System & Mental Health
Capitalism has sculpted our education system and the way it operates today. Many would wonder how a political-economic system is correlated to education and the mental health of students. Schools are capitalist institutions that strive to substantially profit and contribute to the economy, which makes them very similar to ordinary factories. The students are the raw materials which are delivered to the university to produce the main products – exhausted future leaders. Factories predominantly use unethical methodologies to bolster their productivity. Likewise, this specific factory completely disregards the mental health of students expecting them to complete huge amounts of work assigned each day. Competition, a capitalist principle, is also imposed on students making them want to take rigorous courses and constantly compete with their classmates. Once again, they would prioritize their grades over their mental health, leaving any mental disorders undiagnosed and vastly eradicating their well-being.
Academic Validation
The most recent trend on TikTok has rendered that people unveil their “poison”. In a video, teenagers reveal what their “poison” is whilst playing Poison by Rita Ora in the background. As expected, many people chose academic validation as their poison. However, seeking academic validation is a very serious issue that should not be romanticized and glamorized on social media. Many students rely on academics as their main source, or sole source, of validation. They would equate their worth to their grades. If they score low on a test, they would see a less-worthy and uglier person in the mirror. A number on a test should not be a determiner for the students’ capabilities, worth, or intelligence; however, they are heavily deceived by this revolting system thinking that this score is more significant than themselves. A study has shown that depression is directly linked to lower grades. This substantiates that the students’ mental health and their grades are combined in one spectrum that keeps fluctuating or stagnating but is never stable.
Moreover, only raising awareness about mental health in schools is very performative. Doable actions must be taken to ensure the well-being of the students instead of hosting “Mental Health Awareness” days. Schools should not only portray a façade of mental health awareness; they should be aware of the fact that students have interests and social activities beyond their schoolwork. Overall, many schools tend to be completely oblivious towards the mental health of their students claiming that they should “work harder”. Such phrases can discourage the students and compel them to excessively push themselves towards success. Excellence is indeed attainable, but perfectionism is not and will never be attainable. Schools have drawn a very blunt line between the two terms, creating a sense of confusion for the students. Schools continue to thrive under the guise they portray while hiding the atrocities behind their walls.