Succeeding in the academic realm is no easy feat, so it’s no wonder why students across the country struggle with the need to succeed. When it comes to academic validation, the importance of scholarly achievements outweighs mental health, causing students immense stress and eventually burnout.
As defined in an article published by Wilfrid Laurier University, academic validation is referred to as “the act of relating one’s self-worth to their grades.” Striving for success in school can begin to infiltrate the livelihood of students, forcing them to prioritize academics over their self-perception.
In some cases, the drive to succeed can be effective in motivating students to do well in school. The issue lies in the extent to which students are pushing themselves to be perfect.
Oftentimes, the pressure of performing well in school places an insurmountable amount of stress on individuals, causing them to face burnout. Ultimately, the dream of a work-life balance is inevitably controlled by the urge to maintain a 4.0 GPA or be accepted into the most prestigious of universities.
In her words, Assistant Editor-in-Chief Cadi Wright explains, “You start to place all your self-worth on doing well in school and sometimes the only thing that matters is the letter in the gradebook. It can start to make people become really out of touch with themselves because they stop caring about their own health and focus only on being perfect in school.”
According to Wright, the effects of academic validation look different for everyone.
To some, the need to excel academically means internalizing the stress and pretending that life is great. Others may find that a disappointing grade ruins their day entirely, resulting in a mental breakdown.
It’s important to remember that while the cycle of vicious perfectionism is seemingly infinite, it can be broken.
Acknowledging the unrealistic importance of academic achievements is the first step toward a healthier relationship with school. The ability to separate school from personal life allows one to continue to work hard toward academic goals while still taking care of oneself outside of school.
Copy Editor Cameron Street says that having an inner circle of people who are trustworthy and understanding makes all the difference when combating academic pressure.
“It’s important to have a good support system of stable people who you know have your back to help you get through hard times,” she adds.
At the end of the day, knowing that grades and achievements do not equate to self-worth is crucial to overcoming the stress of academic validation.
