Dear Meems,

I’m stressed about keeping my grades up. I’m pressured by my parents to get straight A’s but they’re so inflexible that it makes me want to quit. I’m a junior and I’m thinking about just giving up. What should I do?

Sincerely,

Losing Steam

Dear Losing Steam,

I know how hard junior year can be. Harder classes, more events, losing friends… There’s a lot to deal with. But, this is also a big year that colleges look at. You don’t want to eliminate the option of getting into a good college because of stress. Part of being accepted to colleges is the pride of knowing you worked hard for it. Giving up is going to give you regret, I promise. Your parents only want what’s best for you. And believe it or not, they’re usually right. They want you to get straight A’s because they want your options to be endless after high school. Maybe sit them down and calmly and respectfully tell them that when they pressure you so hard that it makes you not want to work hard. Try to tell them to go easier on you, and that you won’t let them down. If they agree, you have to make sure that you don’t let your grades drop or they will go even harder on you.

If you work hard, you will get those straight A’s. It’s overwhelming but you can achieve it. A tip would be to have fun while getting those A’s. If your teacher assigns a project, go all out and be creative. If you have to present something, be energetic and make the class laugh while accomplishing that A. If you do give up, think about the consequences. You could completely bomb your studies and have to take summer school. Even after that, you could not be accepted to colleges because you felt too pressured. I don’t suggest ruining your future to relax. Sometimes things stress you out but they’re beneficial in the long run. Do everything to the best of your ability and anything that you’re obligated to do, is more fun when you take it with enthusiasm. Finish strong because it will make your parents proud and more importantly, it will make you proud. Keep up the good work!

Best of Luck,

Meems