On the nights leading up to the auditions for her middle school’s advanced orchestra, sophomore Amy Bastola would sit in front of her music stand for hours, revisiting sheet music over and over again and running scales until her hands ached. By morning, some of her classmates were so overwhelmed they stayed home from school. The relentless pressure to always be productive, known as grind culture, had already taken hold, and Bastola says it carries over into students’ daily lives at MVHS. She emphasizes that the pressure of grind culture often stems from unspoken expectations.
“Something we don’t talk about a lot is the implicit culture where you’re expected to do things that your parents don’t necessarily force on you,” Bastola said. “Even if your parents are chill, you still want to please them or make them proud.”
Corroborating Bastola’s experience, a 2024 nationwide survey of 1,545 teens conducted by Common Sense Media found that 53% “feel pressure to be exceptional and impressive through their achievements,” whether it be through honors classes, good grades or jobs. Teens reported themselves as the primary source of achievement pressure, with 48% describing it as self-imposed.
Though junior Aeshna Chatterji believes grind culture can be beneficial to an extent, she says it can easily take a negative toll on students if they fail to be thoughtful about their own limits and how much they’re playing into grind culture. She points out that whereas grinding is an individual choice – pushing yourself beyond a healthy boundary and something that can be pursued alone – grind culture is what the community cultivates and collectively pushes as constant productivity.
However, PTSA secretary Cathy Chen says she has noticed a positive shift in the culture at MVHS in recent years, particularly in how parents approach their children’s academic paths. She attributes this to declining enrollment, which has led to less competition, as well as growing uncertainty about the impacts of AI on the workforce.
“Because of AI, parents are realizing that even if they push their kids, they still don’t know what the job landscape is going to be like when they graduate,” Chen said. “They’ll be more easygoing with what their kids want to do now than before.”
Nonetheless, Bastola and Chatterji have observed the effects of academic burnout on students’ physical and mental health at MVHS. They believe the burnout stems from the guilt many feel when spending time on hobbies or interests that don’t directly advance their academic goals. Nationally, the CSM survey found that 27% of American teens struggle with burnout, indicating the pervasiveness of burnout amongst teens.
“The pressure to be productive is always on your mind, even during times when you shouldn’t expect yourself to be constantly doing something,” Bastola said. “You always feel like you’re missing out, or you’re behind other people. You’re imagining, ‘What are other people doing during the break?’ You always think somebody else is doing something really important.”
Chatterji agrees, noting that school events often have to be planned around students’ academic priorities and extracurricular commitments. For this reason, rallies are purposefully scheduled during tutorials. She believes that students’ mindset of “any time spent not doing things to forward themselves academically is useless” contributes to the lack of participation and spirit at MVHS. Chatterji also notes the delayed gratification mentality that many students at MVHS have, which she believes undervalues the importance of having fun in the moment and taking opportunities as they come.
“Students think, ‘I’ll grind through high school, and then I’ll have fun in college,’” Chatterji said. “But at college, you also have to grind. After that, you have to look for a job. It’s not all fun. You can’t wait and expect delayed gratification. What are you waiting for?”
Chen, having guided her own children through high school and beyond, agrees with Chatterji that applying for college is not the end. Rather, she says that it’s a continuous process of growth and struggle that extends into internships and careers.
“If you burn out right now, you’re going to have a hard time,” Chen said. “It’s a marathon, not a sprint. People are thinking, ‘Once I get through that door, once I get into college, then I’m all set.’ That is totally not true. It’s a really long road ahead of you.”
After Bastola was exposed to the competitiveness of MVHS, she found that helping peers during class and building a strong support system alleviated her stress. She’s also found that playing soccer on the MVHS Junior Varsity team has allowed her to take her mind off the stress caused by school.
“My experience has been more positive than I would expect,” Bastola said. “Even in my classes where you would expect it to be very challenging, the classmates I’ve surrounded myself with have been really helpful. It’s really underrated how important it is to make the school environment and time in class more supportive and productive.”
Chatterji combats burnout by identifying the sources of her stress and prioritizing her well-being. Instead of letting herself get caught up in the constant push to grind, she schedules fun activities for herself at the end of the week and tries to get full nights of sleep.
“It’s important to recognize that grinding is really negative for your health,” Chatterji said. “Grind culture can be good, and you should work hard and make the impact you want to, but that shouldn’t come at the expense of having good, healthy habits.”
Chen emphasizes that grind culture affects each individual differently, noting that some students have the drive and capability to thrive in a competitive environment. However, she also recognizes that each person has different strengths, interests and learning styles. The key, she says, is to respect those who enjoy and succeed in grind culture without imposing the same expectations on everyone else.
“The problem is when you treat everyone the same, saying either everyone should relax, or everyone should work really hard,” Chen said. “Don’t measure up with the smartest person you know in your school, which is an unrealistic expectation for a lot of parents and kids. On the other hand, don’t judge the people who are working really hard. The main thing is to realize that everyone is different and you need to choose a path suitable for you.”
