Being a senior in high school, I’ve been constantly bombarded by my peers and others asking “What college are you going to?” or “What major are you pursing?” Although it may be nice at times to be asked these questions, I never lack the curiosity of how people who don’t have answers to these questions feel. At one point or another, I was in the position to where I didn’t know what I wanted to do or where I wanted to go. I still feel like that at times, unsure of where I’m going or even if I’m on the right path. However, I know that many of my peers feel similar.

Since we were in elementary school, I remember always being told that college is the path for everyone. College is pushed so heavily on the youth it almost feels toxic. It is boggling to me that at such a young age we are told that we must decide what we want to do for the rest of our lives. It almost feels like we must make these decisions in a split instant. Senior Hunter Liu states, ” When I came to school in the U.S. I quickly noticed an extreme push for college.” He then further states, ” I feel like we are so young yet we are already deciding our future and it feels as though it is permanent.” The competitive push for college hasn’t just been prominent now.

Although there has been recent push for college, there has always been an emphasis on this path being the only correct one. Roosevelt Alumni Michelle Taing states, ” When I was at Roosevelt, there was a constant push for college even for the people who made it clear that they didn’t want to go.” Many people don’t want to pursue college but the education system make it feel as though it’s wrong that people are choosing different pathways. Taing further states, ” I know many people who didn’t see college as an option, there were some who wanted to go into the work force or military right away but people in the education system made them feel like they shouldn’t go down this path.”

Although college is a good route for many, it isn’t suited for all and is especially not suited for young 15-16 year olds to make decisions on. The constant push for college gives off a toxic type of stress which I think is extremely unhealthy.