The world is a place full of expectations as tall as mountains and never ending pressures. No matter where you try to go there is no escaping them for they are anywhere and everywhere. 

In today’s society it seems as though teenagers are surrounded by pressure in every action and breath we take. Nothing is deemed to be good enough. People always want more and give little thought to the reality that lies before them. Regardless of our exhaustion weighing us down, more is given until we are left struggling to breathe. It is rather common for us to break ourselves apart in order to appease those around us. It is a never ending cycle that continuously pokes and prods at our beings in every possible way. 

School for one brings about high amounts of stress and pressure for teenagers. The constant expectation by the adults in our lives to maintain good grades and strive to be the best is utterly exhausting at times. It has shown from our experiences that adults more often than not find it hard to comprehend and accept that school can be challenging and we are simply trying our very best. However, our best is never enough for them. They want more and give little thought as to how it will affect us as individuals. They don’t stop to think of what sacrifices we might be making in order to live up to their extremely high expectations.  

Talk of our futures beyond the doors of the high school come at us from all different angles. Too many of us find ourselves overwhelmed with the concept and are unable to latch onto something concrete. Adults around us often project their own desires and wants onto us. The lives they wished they had pursued become forced upon their children and there is no escaping it. 

Everywhere we turn we come face to face with new pressures and expectations. We find ourselves constantly berated in regards to how we spend our time. Simple greetings slowly became demanding questions as to how we will contribute to society. Gone are the days of adults asking about our days and in its place are lists of things that must be done to stay on track for our futures. The continuous demands, questions, and expectations pile up and weigh us down. There is not one second of escape and so we are left to pick ourselves up to try and stay afloat. 

The pressure and expectations build up until it feels as though we will explode from it all. We try so hard to keep up with the demands and expectations of others that we eventually grow exhausted from the front we wear. Pretending has gotten us only so far in escaping the suffocating pressures of our lives. Our own choices and decisions seem to be slipping through our fingers with each passing day. It is as though our lives are not our own but that of others who seek to control what is not their business. 

The real truth of it is that nothing we do will ever be enough. It’s never enough.