I nod to the familiar figure who greets me every morning with a similar response. Slipping into my station, an uncomfortable blue plastic chair, I release the overstuffed backpack slung across my shoulder. I hated being labeled stressed out, over achiever and perfectionist. But it was hard not to. There is never a time when the thought of college, and the future isn't lingering in my head.
School is more than a facility for learning.
It's the breeding ground for success, failure, pressure, and performance. There is so much weight on my shoulders from teachers, parents, peers, and myself. Teen-agers are given a bad name because half of us are going no where, doing nothing, and helping no one. I'm driven by so much determination that sometimes I wish I was in the other crowd. I have escaped from my minimum six hours of performance that is required each day.