class of '29 attempts to balance activities, workload and stress during first year

by: Foyinkemi Olalere

We’re officially more than a full quarter deep into the school year. New schedules have become routine; routes in the hallways are now muscle memory; we’ve settled in with new teachers and classmates, and reconnected with those from years past.

We got older, and the world kept spinning.

It’s just high school, after all. 

We’re all used to it. 

And what about the 347 students that make up Glenelg’s freshman class? They’re getting used to it as well – the good, the bad … the stress.

​Defined as those born between 2010 and 2025, Generation Alpha – or Gen Alpha, as they’re more commonly referred – has been growing for almost 15 years now, and by Jan. 1, 2026, when the first of Generation Beta will be born, Gen Alpha will be the largest generation in the history of the world – almost two billion – making up nearly a quarter of the global population. 

As the first generation born entirely in the 21st century, Gen Alpha has been raised with more diversity and technology than any generation before them. Because of this, they see the world differently than their Millenial/Gen X parents and Gen-Z older siblings do. For one, more than half of Gen Alphas are predicted to earn a university degree.

Woohoo! Go education! 

However, at this point in time, 69 percent of 4th graders aren't proficient in reading. This has been highly attributed to an increase in technology use, which provides infinite distractions, as well as the shift to remote learning during the Covid-19 pandemic, which left them deficient of some key developmental skills during years that are crucial for such. 

Still, let’s cut them some slack. After all, they’re set to make up 19 percent of the workforce in about 10 years, and will probably work in jobs that don’t even exist today with emerging industries such as artificial intelligence and blockchain technology. 

But that’s the future. What about the present? How is the Gen Alpha class of 2029 handling the responsibilities and increased stress that comes with a new environment?   

We all know high school life comes with a myriad of new challenges, but also countless new opportunities. Many freshmen have found their place competing on the field or court in both JV and varsity sports where they’ve learned to work hard and play alongside teammates. Some have taken to POMS or cheer teams, contributing to entertaining and impressive shows, while others have contributed valuably to clubs.

However, though high school is a great time to take advantage of the many activities offered, it can often stress students to the point of exhaustion. Even with activities which they find enjoyable, some Glenelg freshmen find themselves overwhelmed trying to balance their extracurriculars with their heavy courseload. 

“It’s a give and take,” freshman Jarina Phakam said. “You do get some relief temporarily, although work also builds up during the time that you’re trying to relieve that stress.” 

In fact, a study from Harvard University indicates that 53 percent of American teens feel pressure to be exceptional and impressive through their achievements, and 56 percent of them feel pressured to have their future life path figured out. And the burnout doesn’t start in high school. 

A report conducted by psychotherapist Vera Walburg references a study done on Turkish students that students in 6th, 7th, and 8th grade were experiencing burnout induced by academic matters like school activities, feelings of inadequacy, lack of interest, and family concerns. Even here, students feel that although their middle school teachers tried their best to prepare them for high school stress, the emphasis was more on courseload instead of on the realities of high school stress. 

“I feel like we were aptly prepared for the work, but not the stress,” Phakam said. 

Students often feel the pressures of entering the new levels of responsibility that come with secondary education, and despite wanting only the highest-caliber students to attend their prestigious campuses, colleges and universities are said to avoid accepting students who they feel have overburdened themselves to the point of exhaustion, and who likely won’t be as passionate about education by the time that they entered college, due to their overload of activities in high school. 

Talk about a double standard.

In a way, it’s almost unfair. 

The educational system thrusts 14-year-olds into an environment that is more fast-paced and more intense emotionally, educationally, and socially than they’ve likely ever experienced before, and expects them to just figure it all out. 

It can seem hopeless at times, looking up the mountain of expectations, requirements, perfect scores, and 4.0s required to climb the “ladder to success.”

But in May of 2026, 346 of seniors are graduating from Glenelg High School. They fought through difficult units, AP tests, and challenging classes. They survived fights, fallouts, and breakups with people whom they may have assumed would be a part of their lives forever. They learned to win, lose, choose between right and wrong, and fight for what they believe in. 

And there are hundreds of thousands more high school graduates who have gone through the same thing. 

High school is difficult, no doubt, but that’s what makes it special. It’s transformative, experimental, and unique to every person. It is stressful, and oftentimes feels near impossible, but there are also so many avenues to build meaningful relationships with one's community in high school – some freshmen have even relied on upperclass friends to help them mentally prepare for the chaos of high school more than their middle school teachers did. 

There’s a saying that pressure makes diamonds, and for the class of 2029 and all future generations, high school, no matter how difficult, is an immersion in fire that guarantees a transformation – mind, body, and soul – that will last a lifetime.

---