It is no secret that high school students face pressure to do well in school from both their family and themselves. A teenager’s academic performance is considered by many to be extremely important, as good grades are crucial for those planning to attend college. For some, the second semester of their senior year represents a time to relax and enjoy the onset of senioritis but for others, the importance of achieving a high grade point average never goes away.

Individuals who set high standards for themselves often feel overwhelmed when they enter college for the first time and they sometimes make rash and drastic decisions as a result. Wanting good grades is okay but it is important for students to lower their expectations before they do something that cannot be undone.

College students, especially at top universities, place a lot of pressure on themselves to do well. A student at Harvard who had trouble dealing with upcoming finals sent in a bomb threat so that the university would cancel exams. Finals were canceled but the student was forced to face even bigger issues: expulsion from Harvard and the possibility of prison and a hefty fine.

Many undergraduates also deal with depression, and, according to the National Center for the Prevention of Youth Suicide, suicide is a leading cause of death among college students. In fact, Cornell University, a top-notch college, has an unusually high suicide rate.

A track star at the University of Pennsylvania ended her life when she could not handle the stress of college and fell short of the high expectations she had set for herself. There have been many others like her who were all so young and had their whole lives ahead of them but made a tragic choice to commit suicide when the demands of college became too much.

With college courses being much harder than high school classes, students find it difficult to keep up with the fast pace. It can be normal for college grades to be lower than high school grades but students still feel overwhelmed and disappointed with their academic performance. The best thing a student can do is try their best and accept the outcome—chances are, things will get better.