In today’s society, more and more people have gotten obsessed with getting into prestigious universities. These can range from the Ivy League in the United States to Oxbridge in the United Kingdom. Of course, no one can deny the fact that prestigious universities with good reputations can undoubtedly open doors to numerous future professional chances. However, being too immersed in attending top universities can have several downsides when it comes to student’s physical and mental health, creating a contrary effect for the bright future they have dreamt of.

The preoccupation into securing a spot in top universities can be detrimental to one’s well-being. Students who are overly concerned about attending prestigious universities may experience significant levels of stress, worry, and self-doubt. The pressure to outstand their peers in applications pushes them to get perfect grades, to participate in ranges of extracurricular activities, and to excessively do more voluntary work. This can cause burnouts to students both physically and mentally, draining them out, and leaving no leisure time for them to do the things they enjoy.

The truth is, for some students, financing their education in these top universities can also cause a problem. The hefty amount of capital they have to pay each year may be too heavy for students in a middle-low income family, forcing them to obtain a student loan or strive for a scholarship, causing an even more competitive environment. The worst case scenario would be giving up the spot in the university, despite how hard the student has worked and strived for it.

Furthermore, although attending a prestigious university can allow students to meet other outstanding peers, it does not really guarantee success. Being in an overly competitive environment and valuing success more than anything can just be a threat to some people. The fear of failure prevents them from trying new things, experimenting, or even just introducing themselves to a new environment that is unfamiliar to them. This creates a barrier to success due to a lack of mistakes to learn from and improve themselves to achieve their goal.

In conclusion, it is always good to strive for the best and work hard for our future. However, in the length of hard work and effort put into achieving goals, it is important to remember to never push too much to the point of pain and burnout, especially when doing things that are not in the area of your personal interests and passions. Prevent from joining school clubs or doing voluntary work just for the sake of perfecting your application. Instead, try to ask yourself what you really want and love. Expand that interest into something meaningful and do your best to see how far you can go. Even if you aren’t secured a spot in a top university, never feel discouraged as success can only be defined by yourself.

In addition, the pressure put onto students by overly ambitious parents have also been the main cause contributing to mental health problems such as stress, anxiety, and depression. Over the years, there have been many cases of suicide due to the high tension of school work that students are no longer able to handle anymore.

Elite Obsession With Elite Unis

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