No Summit Alone by Krithik

How can it be that in a world of extreme academic standards, masses of students continue to aspire? 

Countless hours of study, numerous challenging classes, multiple days a week. 

Booked. Deprived. Lost.

Nonetheless, teenage students today strive for nothing less than exemplary—refusing the urge to slow. 

In their rocky scale up the mountain, they don’t take a glance around them. They don’t take time to notice the rope ladder beside them, the extra pair of harnesses eyeing them. 

They insist their journey should be solo, forgetting, even ignoring everyone around them. 

But this isn’t the path to the summit.

The same way teens value their academics, they must also value their relationships. 

Why don’t they? 

Because relationships are often seen as…

Burdens. Liabilities. Distractions. 

Rarely are they viewed as rest camps on the ascent—a chance to replenish and refuel for the rest of the trek. Blinded by the pressure to perform, to succeed, to ace the next test, teens neglect the harnesses around them. 

Without the support of those around you, you burn out. Arms flailing, eyes dizzy and closing, you slowly lose sight of the mountain’s crest. 

Worry binds you tighter. 

You believe you are scaling alone, but that’s false. Those around you stand ready to grab your hand and pull you through the exhaustion.

Don’t disregard the wisdom around you. It’s easy to think that those close to you don’t get you. Blaming them for your hardships comes naturally; it’s the simplest excuse. Trust me, I’ve been there. Being compressed by stress, my parents’ words at first seemed empty.

But soon I realized that their words weren’t just meant for my ears, but for my eyes. My mind. My heart—to see the merit of their advice, to understand the value of their recommendations, to adore the genuineness of their insight, keeping it close to me.

A global study conducted by Meta and Gallup showcased that 71% of those who felt the support of close connections were less impacted by stress.

Your friends, parents, and coaches are the only ones who will value your success as one of their own. 

The relationships you hold dear serve as your break from this stressful world. Accept them. Embrace them. 

Let them be the chairlift that escorts you (and your baggage) to the mountain’s peak.