College is not everything.

It’s a fact that a lot of people have a hard time accepting, but it’s true. High school is more than just the stepping stone before college. It’s about lasting friendships, doing participating in a sport or an activity that you love for your school and creating those high school memories that people idealize. 

Many people might think: “You’re a hypocrite! You must think about college as much as we do.” 

And they’re right – partially, anyways. As a high school student, you’d be practically insane not to think about college. It’s that “next big step,” the moment you become an adult, the moment you make your own decisions – but right now, I don’t want to think about it.

Right now, I feel like that little boy on America’s Funniest Home Videos who, when asked what he wants to be when he grows up, pouts and cries, “I don’t wanna grow up.”

The reason? I am tired of people making their lives revolve around college.

For example: Palo Alto High School clubs. While they are awesome and varied, ranging from video making to volunteering to anime drawing, some of the motives behind making these clubs aren’t all based on interest for the club.

Recently, I’ve seen many people creating clubs in preparation for club day, and I just ask myself why the sudden interest? Why the sudden influx of kids trying to make a club – random, miscellaneous as they may be? 

The answer is college applications.  

Out of these kids, I am sure that there are some who want to write “I was the president of [insert club here] and that’s what makes me qualified for your school! Pick me!” 

It sometimes bothers me, more than it should. As a junior, I can understand the worry. 

BUT then there was sophomore year and the discussion of how many Advanced Placement classes you were taking, and what Standard Aptitude Test prep courses you were taking, and what SAT Subject Tests you were taking. Let’s not forget who-on-earth-we’re-going-to-get-our-recommendation letters from worries and then at the start of junior year, adviser recommendation worries and oh my goodness, the list will not end. 

It started to drive me a little nuts. After a test, a chorus of “how hard was it” and loud cries of “I failed.” Before a test, the “how do you do this” and “I’m going to fail.”

I’m not saying to throw away all thoughts of college and be that kid staying up until 2 a.m. trying to scrape together that last college application because you didn’t worry about college until you turned 17/18 and your parents asked if you were done yet with your essays.

College is an important step in your life. You’ll go there, make friends, maybe even meet that special someone, really delve into your interests and most importantly, you’ll learn to live life for yourself.

But college isn’t about being that kid who gets into every Ivy League you apply to, and just because you want to get into college doesn’t mean that every time you twitch an eyebrow, you have to be preparing for college.

I got caught in the grades craze too, guilty as charged, no denying it. My friends can probably tell anyone that before a math test – or even after a math test – they can find me stressing about it. Part of it was because everyone around me was acting like that. Even when I tried to relax, people around me would stress, and I’d let myself get swept up by their worries and problems.

But not anymore.

Just because I’m not letting my life revolve around college does not mean I won’t worry about it. It just means that I’m going to do what I love. It means I’m not going to do something that I don’t actually really want to do because I want to get into college

So loosen up. Prepare for college, but don’t do things just to get into it because in all reality, unless you plan on dying as soon as you open your acceptance letter, your life does not end with college.