Opinion by J1 Reporter Natalie Plewa

It takes a really talented person to be able to juggle school, a social life, family time, a part-time job, and a decent sleep schedule. Most teenagers have to deal with this, and still receive criticism from their parents about how “they never do enough around the house” or “they have no excuse to be this tired.”
Whenever a teenager complains about anything, their parents have to bring up the excuse of, “Well, when I was your age, high school wasn’t that hard.” It seems like they never understand that the world is changing, and the school workload keeps increasing.
I’ve noticed, especially this year, that my parents expect me to drive my siblings around, do some of the grocery shopping, and watch over my younger siblings, all while I’m supposed to be studying, doing homework, and making time to see my friends. I’m also required to have a job of my own, besides being a full-time student.  All this, and I’m still expected to never be tired.

In the past, standardized testing definitely mattered, but it didn’t determine whether you would spend the rest of your life as a wealthy businesswoman or a drive-thru attendant. Every teacher this year makes it seem like the ACT and SAT are the only things that matter, and they can make or break your entire life.  This can be true, though.  One number could be the difference between receiving a great scholarship and not receiving any money at all.

In 1980, the average ACT score was about an 18, according to http://www.act.org, but nowadays, the average score is up to about a 21. This shows how the expectations of high schoolers trying to get into college is becoming higher and higher every year. No pressure, though, right?

Teenagers nowadays are expected to go above and beyond in school, extracurricular activities, and in their social life. They are expected to be awake and ready for anything at any time of the day. With these higher expectations for grades and an expectation for surviving on less sleep, there is so much more room for stress.