Ever since middle school and it has carried it into high school for the past two years, there has been an internal drive to strive for the best, to get the letter A, such an arbitrary portrayal of a person’s intelligence. Half-way done through sophomore that I have been following the indoctrination into the “educational school-system.” I have only strived to get 99s, 100s, and everything that is deemed as excellence. But none of this really means anything.
And when I want to look back in the future, I don’t want to see that I spent my youthful years becoming a grade-machine. Yes, (I have pursued my passions to the fullest extent), but I feel that if I hadn’t spent so much time on this education system, in the past couple years I could have worked on something really meaningful (as Cal Newport’s book suggests).
But now, its too late; I am in the fist of an arbitrary school system, manically following their commands and enticing to their perceptions of excellence; I am held by the grip of their will, the force of their meaninglessness; school fosters competition and deceptiveness, while instead, it should be teaching us communication and collaboration.
Now that I am too far in the cycle, I have no choice but to continue. But, how do I make a really significant impact and do something meaningful? (For reference, I have started 1 successful business, am on the swimming and tennis team, and am part of several clubs [Yes, I know these are interesting and cool, but for me, it is not making a big enough impact to be very meaningful] ).