What literature will I learn at school?

Do You Think I Care Too Much About School?

• Ever since I was old enough to go to school my parents told me to learn as much as I can and work very hard. They came from small african villages and through hard work and education they are now almost millionaires. So, I've been to 2 school districts and in both I was always in the top 3 of my class. School has mostly been easy, because I like to read, so essays are no trouble, and math is just practice. I also always like to go above and beyond. For example, last year we had this assignment where in 1 month you needed to get 50 homework points. You could get them from writing an essay, watching an educational movie, reciting poems, and winning review games. Every task was worth 10-20 points. I got 220. There was also this literature vocabulary activity at the beginning of this year where we got a book with 20 new vocab words and exercises with about 80 questions to go with it each unit. There were 15 units. I finished all of them by the 2nd weekend of school. I really like to learn as much as possible and do my best. I want to make the most of my education that so many people around the world would kill for. I also want to go to Harvard to study anesthesiology. But, now I'm in high school and the work is getting harder. I have to stay up to 1 or 2, or sometimes even all night to finish and understand it. I have 97 and above in all my classes, but I try to get the highest grades I possibly can. For example, yesterday was the end of the term. I have a 99% in science, but I retook a test I'd gotten a 90% on just to get my grade to 100%. I want to be valedictorian, so every grade counts. And there are people in my class who seem naturally smart and don't have to study as hard to get good grades. Yesterday my class did codes in morse codes. When it came time to guess my code, everyone started saying workaholic, and tryhard. I just want to do well in life. My parents say the work will pay off, but they are saying it less now. I asked them what they though of me and they said, "someone who's very serious about their work." My sister said to me today when I said I was too busy at the moment to wash the dishes, "you think the only thing that matters in life is your academic work." My sister did fine in school and went to college, but now she's 27, and it seems the better I do, the madder she gets at me. Like when I told her I won a writing competition, she didn't say anything, just didn't talk to me for the rest of the day. I feel like I have nothing in my life except my grades. I always say to myself that it will all pay off, and the hard work now will make my future easier and brighter than my parent's. Sometimes though, I feel like I'm not enjoying my youth. The thing is, most of the people in my grade who seem to be having the most fun and friends drink, do weed, and go far with their boyfriends. It seems to me, high school will end and then none of what I did or didn't do will matter, but the grades will be there. I get along just fine with people at school, but I know if I take it any deeper than casual, I'll be sucked into their problems and drama. People have also told me if I wasn't so into school they'd like me more. My friends say that I'm very mature for my age. But I notice that thy don't really talk to me, joke around with me, or invite to me things that much, at least not as much as in middle school. I have a twin brother and he always says that I study too hard. One time he said that I don't know how to have fun. He admitted once that he's jealous and he knows that I'll be successful and he probably won't. I get the feeling this is how most of my classmates feel. He's been playing video games all year and talking t classmates in class. Now, class rank is coming out, and he got around 8th, and I'm the top. As soon as he found out his rank he got really stressed and starting saying how he needs to get his GPA up, and what he's going to do to get better grades, and how he's going to study more. Lately I've noticed how he's resorted to cheating when possible to get the grades. When I'm not doing homework, I'm doing robotics, public speaking, student council, class president, young writer's club, essay contests, tutoring middle schools, science olympiad, volunteering, soccer/basketball, or reading a good book. Sometimes I do relax and watch movies or go outside and play with my bro What should I do? I know high school is for fun, but everyone in my school who has that is either doing drugs, or sees me as competition. I go to a small school where everyone knows everyone. We've all been together since 6th grade. It seems like a waste of time to be friends w/ people who won't be lifelong. I know in my heart of hearts don't really like me. Do I seem like a workaholic to you? Do you think I'm obsessed? Do

• Answer:

  Stop comparing your life to others. You only feel like you are missing something because you are looking at others get better grades with SEEMINGLY less work! Some people will always be smarter...that's life! Your bro needs a wake-up call soon before he wastes even more time than he already has. High-school is not for the purpose of having fun, or for providing a nice comfy room to play vids all day, and cheating to catch up is a dead-end street. Tell your parents before bro throws his life down the drain. You are not a workaholic, but by thinking you are, you will just make life harder for yourself! The kids around you now will soon, like you, be going off in their own directions, and many you may never see again! Why let what they think matter to you? Did you see the SOCIAL NETWORK movie, (about FB?) Remember what the Harvard President said to the twins in his office? (Rent the movie and write down what he said about Harvard's purpose...put it on a poster on your wall.) Anesthesiology would be a great career, even if you don't make into Harvard med-school. Med-school is tough ; you may NEED to be a workaholic to get through it.