You Asked For Prefect and Unrealistic Expectations

"If I don't have perfect grades, then who am I?"

You're human? Geez.

Dealing with academic pressure and stress and how to remind yourself about what actually matters in life amidst it all.

"No one told me I'd have to know every answer to every test and also be a 'unique individual' following my life's calling at seventeen."

You Asked For Perfect is a story is about a young high school boy, Ariel Stone who's been a disciplined perfectionist his whole life; with straight A's, extraordinarily gifted violist and a consistent volunteer at the Animal Shelter. He's the golden child that any parent would be proud to show off and any college would be privileged to have.

But his sudden Calculus grades decline put him a state of panic and anxiety where he tries to spend every possible minute of his wakeful hours pushing himself to be better; so much that he ends up getting less than five hours of sleep per day. 

When the very perturbed Ariel fails to see fruitful results despite all his efforts, he resorts to relying on a 'friend', Amir, who's apparently brilliant at this subject. (A topper being tutored by another of his kind, imagine that.) 

As they start to spend more time together, Ariel develops feeling for Amir. But for Ariel, their relation turns out to be another thing in his already over-filled plate with the impending college admission prep looming over him. He thinks he can burden himself to juggle all of it at once until his watches his 10-year old sister end up in the ICU due to stress. Until he misses Amir's art gallery opening. Until he realizes a littl e too late that he's too worn out and injured to come through for his best friend. Until every piece of the care fully assembled yet fragile Lego of his life falls apart.

And that's where Ariel, subject to all the pressure he can possibly take, emerges as an appraised and refined diamond; getting his priorities straight and paying heed to what actually matters in life- the unending support of family and friends, cherished moments, unforgettable memories, internal bliss and self- satisfaction.

"They make us think that grade is more important than learning, and that's messed up. We're all overwhelmed. You're not alone."

This book is about those of us who've been made to feel special their entire childhood and had their hopes from themselves go so high that they struggle to catch up with the front they've been made to put on. When perfection doesn't just come naturally and pulling one grade up leads to another one tumbling and everything in life resonates with unordered chaos, you know you need to take a step back and introspect so that you can 'come back stronger than the 90's trend' when you're ready. (TS supremacy.)

Pulling all-nighters is not a badge of honor. Skipping out on social gathering, isolating and toiling oneself till exhaustion for the sole purpose of academic excellence is not 'hard work'. And not being there for your loved ones or yourself during emotional distress because 'you have other priorities or future commitments' does not ameliorate the situation.

"I know it's hard but keep perspective. None of this will matter in a year. It's just life."

So what can you do to curb unworkable expectations?

1. Take it all one day at a time. Focus on the task at hand and instead of planning out for a week, try pacing and planning out for the day or merely the next couple of hours. Tell yourself that you've got this and stop the minute you realize that you've clearly not.


2. Don't try to stay awake at ungodly hours to meet impractical deadlines. Just embrace sleep after a long day.


3. Talk. I cannot stress this point enough. See a professional or seek your friends to be the listener and just rant about every single thing that's troubling you. If you think one friend doesn't do it, sit your siblings down and bore them out of their minds because well, they've got to serve some purpose in this world.(*snickers*)


4. Make it a point to do what you love at least once a week. Or whenever you feel the need to. Groove to delightful music, put on makeup even if you suck at it, go out on solo dates or hang out at the mall or the arcade and play the same games you've grown up playing all over again. Discover new things about yourself and keep the youthful twelve year old in you alive.


5. Help your friends out when you notice any red flags and try to establish a bond where they do the same for you. Just keep each other sane through it all.

What are some effective ways in which you've tried to deal with academic pressure? Do share your views in the comments below. 

Thank you folks and I'll be back with another post next week, stay tuned :)