Alissa KruegerJournal Notes Pressure and Competition: Academic, Extracurricular, and Parental1. As I read the section on academic pressure, it made me think of a discussion I had with my mother a few weeks before my high school graduation. I was having a bit of a breakdown about college. I didnt know where I wanted to go, how I was going to afford it, and if I was even ready. My mom listened to my emotional explosion and when I finally quit talking, she said to me Well, you dont have to go if you dont want to. That was the first time someone had told me I didnt have to go to college. It had never occurred to me before. I ended up waiting to go to college, and it was the best decision I could have made. High school students are constantly bombarded with the pressure of going to college right out of high school, and even, as the author mentions, taking college courses in high school. It can be overwhelming as an 18 year old to feel like you have to decide the rest of your life, and schools shouldnt push that on students. 2. I like that the author mentions that students tie their self-worth with their grades, and ask themselves If Im not the best, who am I? Too often, this is the truth. I find myself feeling that way sometimes, that if you are not the best at something, its not even worth doing because others will always be better. 3. The author says that many students dont want to waste time on classes their not comfortable with. I think this is interesting because Im trying to do the opposite and expose myself to as much as I can before I choose a major. Some people know what they want right off the bat and ignore the other classes, but I think a lot of students use college to expose themselves to new interests and test the waters of new subjects. 4. While reading the section on parents expecting their children to share the same goals as them, I thought of my best friend Hannah. Her parents were very much that way. They never listened to what she wanted. They pushed for her to go to the school they chose and hang out with friends that they pre-approved of. When she made friends that her parents didnt approve of, they would take away her cell phone and not allow her to hang out with them. It was ridiculous, and it made her fight so hard to be independent for them that they barely even speak now that she moved out. 5. I liked that the author brought up what parents dont expect. I think many parents dont realize that their children can fall into the same traps that other kids do. Everyone is human, and everyone at college is subjected to peer pressure. Its important for parents to realize that their children arent perfect, and thats okay. They should be more open if their children need help, even if they think it reflects poorly on their parenting skills.