Manheim Township is a highly successful school district. Our athletic programs often make it to postseasons, we offer many advanced courses in which students excel in and we have a wide range of quality performing arts programs and clubs. This can be overwhelming for some people when it seems that many of our peers are doing a variety of things successfully. As the quote “comparison is the thief of joy” implies, it can be hard to feel like your school and extracurricular efforts are “good enough” when it feels like our peers are involved in or doing things better.
This comparison of others’ achievements to one’s own can occur in all of the aforementioned aspects of high school. Whether it’s sports teams, good grades or leadership positions and involvement in clubs, it always feels like someone is doing better than you. Yet when you think about it, it’s a natural part of life. As kids, we are often told that there will always be someone doing it better than you, but you just have to be the best you can be. That’s much easier said than done. When it feels like so many people around us are highly successful over-achievers, it appears to be the norm but we need to remember that it’s not.
In athletic programs in Manheim Township, you frequently see or hear of underclassmen being on the varsity teams and even starting on them. This has become so common in some sports that it almost feels that being on a JV team as an upperclassmen is being “behind”. This competition, while central to any sport, can take away from the fun of being a part of a team by applying unnecessary pressure on athletes. Some students want to participate in a sport because they simply enjoy playing it.
However, the culture that has been created in some programs with underclassmen increasingly being placed on varsity teams can lead to a bad view of JV athletes. That is not to say that the underclassmen varsity players have not earned their position, simply that it is important to recognize that any position on a sports team is an achievement, no matter what level.
Academically, Manheim Township offers many opportunities for students to enrich their education through the IB diploma program, AP classes and other accelerated academic means such as dual enrollment or doubling up on core classes. Underclassmen can also challenge themselves by taking all honors courses or by doubling up on certain courses. Similarly to athletics, it seems like the norm is to be taking advanced courses. The student population has forgotten that College Prep classes are on par with normal learning material. These classes shouldn’t be labeled by some as behind or below a grade learning level when they are the standard. Similarly, people who choose to not double up on certain courses to get ahead should not feel pressure from those that do. It is perfectly doable to not be ahead in course selection and take a normal path to your future.
It is also important to recognize that being involved and successful in both academics and extracurricular activities is difficult. Since it often seems like so many of our peers are doing everything all at once, this seems to be what we must do too. Being involved in only a couple things is an exciting achievement in itself and should not be overlooked.
In every aspect of life, it’s important to not compare yourself to others. Teenagers in high school often struggle deeply with this issue and apply a great deal of pressure on themselves to be successful and fit in with their peers. When we struggle and strive to surmount the achievements of others, our individuality and our passion for one’s own academics and extracurricular activities is lost. It’s important to remember that everyone is on their own path in high school and that someone’s success and achievements do not take away from your own.
