Summer is a time for relaxation and unwinding, a time when we can get a break from Deerfield and all its academic stresses, such as daily textbook readings (Davidson), weekly Biology quizzes, monthly math tests, and time-consuming extracurricular commitments.

However, what is supposed to be our most relaxing break is actually more stressful than expected. Competition at Deerfield never truly ends when we leave the confines of the campus; we carry the culture of competition with us back home, feeling anxious about what other people are doing to be productive, even when we’re taking a moment’s rest on our beds. We are inevitably dragged back to our desks, practice rooms, gym, and fields, disturbed by the nagging thought that we are just not doing enough for both Deerfield and college.

Deerfield students often spend their sophomore summer studying for the SAT/ACT and their junior summer writing college essays, gaining work experience, or attending intensive summer programs not only to develop their skills of interest but also to build up their college profiles.

Application after application. Practice test after practice test. Run after run. Early mornings and late nights continue, filled with hard work and motivation, only for us to end up even more burnt out than we were prior to the start of break. Once again, working the days away, watching passively as the radiant sunlight outside changes its hue every hour, mired in work and tired of our screens. Change in location aside, this feels just like Deerfield.

Especially as students enter junior and senior years, nudges from peers, parents, and even ourselves to do better, and to reach higher unavoidably tire us out. So, if this competition is inescapable, what can we do to alleviate the stress, and in turn, make the remainder of our academic journeys at Deerfield and beyond less draining and more enjoyable?

One thing we can do, although it may not seem like much, is to consciously check how we are feeling in the moment about whatever we are doing to work towards our goals. It’s good to question ourselves about what our goals are, whether we truly care about them, and how far we are willing to push ourselves to achieve them, but to the extent that we are not harming our mental health or relationships. Once we have the answers to these questions, we can continue striving through the summer, rest assured that we are working to arrive at our desired destinations. So whatever struggles that may result from our effort, is worth the pain.

If we have that certainty that we love the goals we are working toward, our respective journeys to get there will be more bearable, and even hopeful, despite our moments of exhaustion.