Wondering if you peaked in high school.
WONDERING IF YOU PEAKED IN HIGH SCHOOL.
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Remember that feeling? Being the academic standout, the top of your class, the one with the perfect extracurriculars. Then you landed here. Suddenly, everyone around you carries the same, if not more, impressive resume. It's a humbling, often isolating, realization that can spark a unique mental struggle. This isn't just about hard classes; it's about navigating an environment where excellence is the baseline, not the aspiration.
You find yourself questioning whether your best days were already behind you, back in those seemingly simpler high school halls. The pressure isn't just external; it's an internal whisper asking if you truly belong, if you can keep up, if you'll ever shine as brightly again. It's the "Ivy League-specific mental struggle" that's incredibly difficult to explain to friends from other universities. They might nod politely, but they don't quite grasp the weight of imposter syndrome when every peer is a prodigy.
For alumni, this feeling can linger, subtly shaping career choices or personal expectations. We carry that high school peak, those Ivy years, and the constant striving for what's next. It’s a moment of profound introspection, shared only by those who truly get it.