Just a week ago, I had what I considered bad grades. I had Bs in English and math, and that made me feel like I wasn't meeting my parents’ high expectations, as well as those of my siblings. In my family, the only acceptable grades are As – anything lower and my parents will be disappointed. It bothered me, but I still did not feel overwhelmed by it. I knew that they were just quarter grades and if I brought them up by the end of the semester, everything would be fine. However, many students struggle with high expectations, whether it's academic or in sports, because these expectations come with pressure that some students can't handle. The biggest problem with high expectations is that once students feel they can't handle the pressure, their schools are unable to provide resources to help.

High expectations can put students under intense pressure. In a Washington Post article about how students in high-achieving schools have been designated as an “at-risk” group, the author wrote, “The unrelenting pressure on students in high-achieving schools comes from every direction, from overly invested parents who want As, coaches who want wins for their own personal reputations and school administrators who feel pressured to get high standardized scores in their school.” It's hard to get things right when you have expectations dragging you down, especially when it's coming from the people you know or love. Sometimes these expectations can push students to their limits. I fear disappointing my parents and grandparents; the moment that I fear most is my parents realizing I didn't meet their expectations. They expect good grades and good behavior, which for me means straight As and having good classroom behavior. If I can't meet these expectations, not only will I be met with disappointment from my parents, but also consequences – less internet access, taking away my devices, and even more tutoring.

One of the problems with the pressure of expectations is that many teachers and schools don't have effective mental health strategies. Writing for Edutopia.org, teacher David Tow wrote “In my day-to-day work life, I see two common – and mostly inadequate – mental health strategies deployed to help high schoolers who look like they might be struggling: First, take some time, and second, get caught up. Even if the advice is phrased differently, it’s usually a variation on the same theme. Students are advised to take the adolescent equivalent of a personal day, and then complete their work accordingly.” This approach does not address the root of the problems that the students have, only the symptoms. It just tells the students to take a break, but that won't help them. Even after the “personal day,” the student will still have to meet the same expectations they were trying to take a break from, and they will feel pressured all over again. The Washington Post reported that “adolescents in high-achieving schools can suffer significantly higher rates of anxiety, depression, substance abuse and delinquent behaviors, at least two to three times the national average.” The better the school, the higher the expectations for the students, and when schools don't have adequate mental health strategies, these students can suffer serious consequences. Schools should care more about how their students are doing emotionally, rather than how they're doing academically.

When I saw that I had a couple of Bs, I wasn’t overwhelmed. I knew I had plenty of time to fix those grades. However, some people can feel overwhelmed from pressure coming from the high expectations created by the people in their lives. These students can't turn to their schools for help if the schools aren't equipped with adequate mental health resources. Without the help from schools, the students facing the pressure can suffer from consequences that can impact them physically and mentally. Schools need to focus more of their resources on their students' mental health, as well as put their students in a position where they can do well academically without the negative effects of stress and pressure. In order to do these things, the district and community need to make sure the schools have what they need.