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Imagine walking into high school, and everyone is collecting “achievement tokens” like they’re in a silent Hunger Games. Scholarships, clubs, competitions, internships… every single thing can feel like it might decide your survival and ranking.
Once, I had a conversation with a friend: “Debate or volunteering?” “Debate looks better.” No one cares what they actually like.
Image Credit: By Wynter Byrd from Wikimedia Commons
That moment stuck with me, not because it was unusual, but because it happens everywhere. High school stopped feeling like a place to figure out who we are and became a place to prove ourselves on paper. Clubs, competitions, internships- everything feels more like a careful move in a game, a way to collect points instead of exploring what we actually care about.
It’s not just school, either. Parents ask about grades, awards, and even scholarships as soon as we walk in the door. Friends compare test scores, activities, and even the internships or research they participate in.
It feels like everyone is keeping score, and if you’re not, you’re falling behind. These things start to become something people use to compare and show off.
The problem isn’t trying. It’s why we try. Many of us pick activities because they “look good,” turning passion into strategy and curiosity into calculation.
Colleges reward leadership and standout achievements, and social media even makes it worse since everyone is showing off. We can’t help but ask: Am I doing enough? But maybe the better question is: Enough for what? Enough for whom?
The constant pressure can be exhausting. It’s easy to feel like every move we make is being judged, as our value depends on our résumé instead of who we are. Anxiety, self-doubt, and even burnout have become normal parts of high school life.
Image Credit: By USAID Pakistan-Scholarship certificates from Wikimedia Commons
I remember joining a club just because it sounded impressive. I showed up, did the work, and added it to my resume, but I never really cared about it. Meanwhile, I have a friend who spends hours every day writing stories no one reads.
No awards, no contests, nothing to show. When she talks about them, she lights up. She wasn’t building a resume; she was building herself.
When everything is about results, it’s hard to enjoy the process. Success can make boring work feel worth it, but what if it never comes, or what if it does, and still feels empty?
That’s when striving turns into pressure instead of growth, and ambition turns into burnout. You stop asking what you truly care about and start asking what works, and over time it’s hard to tell yourself apart from your résumé.
Sometimes, flow can be found in unexpected places. Playing guitar in your bedroom, baking a cake perfectly from scratch, or even running around the neighborhood until you forget the time. These moments don’t count on a résumé, but they remind you who you really are and show that value isn’t just measured in awards or recognition.
Still, this isn’t about giving up. Wanting to succeed and working hard aren’t bad. The challenge is doing both without losing yourself.
Image Credit: by Lukas Blazek from Wikimedia Commons
That means picking one or two things you actually love and sticking with them, even if they don’t “look useful.” It could also mean letting yourself be bad at something just because you enjoy it, not because it fits a plan.
After all, a resume is just a summary. It isn’t a person. If we spend all our time trying to look impressive, we might end up with a life that looks full but feels empty.
So the real goal isn’t just winning the game. Should we pause for a second and ask ourselves: Is this even the game we want to play?
High school doesn’t have to feel like a Hunger Games. It can be a place to explore, create, and discover yourself. Choosing what matters to you, sticking with it, and finding your own flow will make your life seem so much better.
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