I saw this growing up as a millenial absolutely, I saw it throughout years 10-12 considerably as we were doing mock job interviews and planning our year 11-12 subjects based on our proposed career prospects.
You feel pressure from your peers that if you don't know exactly what career you want and know exactly how you are going to get there, that it's a problem.
You are pushed to plan early and to do well, it's only when push comes to shove when you are neck deep in year 12 exams and the prospects of your University entry scores are near, that the school insists that University isn't the only option, and that you shouldn't be stressed because your results don't define you as a person. It's only then do they say that.
For me the stress comes down to this, we are told to plan as early as possible. So that if I do these subjects for years 11 & 12, and I get X mark, I will most likely get into X University, to then graduate and get a career in X, which will provide me with a fulfilling career/life of achievement and success. This is the baseline, this isn't just the overachievers, everyone has this idea.
Any hiccup along the way in this process and you feel immense stress and anxiety that you will not be successful and happy. Because your entire schooling/education has led up to this moment, and as a teenager you are none the wiser that it isn't the end of the world, because it can sure feel like it.
I should say off the back of this that I was lucky and I was able to achieve a successful career, through the path of University.
> For me the stress comes down to this, we are told to plan as early as possible. So that if I do these subjects for years 11 & 12, and I get X mark, I will most likely get into X University, to then graduate and get a career in X, which will provide me with a fulfilling career/life of achievement and success. This is the baseline, this isn't just the overachievers, everyone is fed this idea.
I have a friend that got a CS degree from Princeton. Went to work, found he hated it, spent 10 years working to pay off his student loans. Paid them off and quit.
Basically blew 15 years of his life doing what everyone told him was the 'right thing'
Sure - but how can you know? I don't dread my job, but I believe I could better my life in some ways by changing careers to make more money. I would have specific kinds of freedom and security for my family that we don't have right now, but there's a lot of feel fulfilled about in my current line of work that might be lost in the change. If I knew the right path, I would have taken it already.
You feel pressure from your peers that if you don't know exactly what career you want and know exactly how you are going to get there, that it's a problem.
You are pushed to plan early and to do well, it's only when push comes to shove when you are neck deep in year 12 exams and the prospects of your University entry scores are near, that the school insists that University isn't the only option, and that you shouldn't be stressed because your results don't define you as a person. It's only then do they say that.
For me the stress comes down to this, we are told to plan as early as possible. So that if I do these subjects for years 11 & 12, and I get X mark, I will most likely get into X University, to then graduate and get a career in X, which will provide me with a fulfilling career/life of achievement and success. This is the baseline, this isn't just the overachievers, everyone has this idea.
Any hiccup along the way in this process and you feel immense stress and anxiety that you will not be successful and happy. Because your entire schooling/education has led up to this moment, and as a teenager you are none the wiser that it isn't the end of the world, because it can sure feel like it.
I should say off the back of this that I was lucky and I was able to achieve a successful career, through the path of University.