Assignment 19 - Lydia Klumb

My family has always put a heavy emphasis on education. School has come before everything else my entire life. As a kid, if my homework wasn't done, I couldn't go anywhere with my friends, go see a movie, attend a sleepover, or watch TV. As I got older, these restrictions relaxed slightly but the pressure I put on myself to excel in school increased. I stressed myself out more than necessary and expected a lot from myself. Recently, some close friends of mine noticed how stressed I was making myself and advised me to take a step back and evaluate some of the sources of my stress, and eliminate all of the unneeded pressures of my life. I took their advice, and tried to figure out the source of some of my stress. I was able to get rid of some stress by becoming more organized and becoming better at time management. One huge source of stress for me was pressure I put on myself to constantly try to be as good as, if not better than, my sister in school. I would constantly compare myself to her with regards to grades, AP test scores, and even ACT and SAT scores. After realizing this, I have tried to follow friends' advice and remind myself that I am different than my sister and that even if I am not as "perfect" as my sister in every aspect, I can still be successful. This has enormously reduced my stress and the pressure I put on myself, and I am grateful to have such good friends in my life.