✍︎ Gerielyn D. Saldua
If we stripped away the medals and the honors, would society still see the human being underneath? Every proud smile hides the hidden labor of living up to everyone’s expectations. It convinces us that our worth is tied to our grades and that “rest” can lead to “failure,” turning our minds into a battlefield. It does not scream in our faces, but it whispers that we are not good enough—even when our eyes are burning from a lack of sleep. It tells us that the intense pressure we feel while balancing multiple subjects, each with its own complex tasks, and rushing to meet submission deadlines is a basic expectation; yet this perspective fails to account for the exhausting weight of a workload that society has come to unfairly normalize.
What makes it even harder is when we look at other students who seem to be doing better than us and constantly compare our own messy, tiring days to their achievements, which only makes us feel like we are not good enough. We are so busy proving to everyone that we are okay that we forget how to actually be okay.
When did we start measuring our worth by how much we can handle instead of how much we’ve learned? We are so busy proving to everyone that we are okay that we forget how to actually be okay. We have been taught that a proud smile, recognitions, awards, and praise are evidence of success, but real success lies in the hidden labor of choosing to keep going when your mind is exhausted. Showing up despite the exhaustion and chaos you feel is already a great achievement.
The true victory is taking off the mask, admitting that the pressure is heavy, and allowing ourselves to breathe. Behind every achievement is a tired mind, a heavy heart, and a human being who deserves to be seen for more than just their performance.
Illustration: Mariecon B. Segundino
