Duck syndrome, first coined by Stanford, is the concept that everyone seems to have everything together, in the way that a duck seems to peacefully glide across the water, but it turns out that we are all struggling and working pretty hard to keep it together in a competitive environment, like the way that under the water the duck is paddling furiously with its little feet. 

When I learned about duck syndrome, I first thought it was pretty cool that there is a “syndrome” named after one of my favorite animals. However, it’s comforting to know that sometimes, even though everyone else seems to have everything together, they could be just as stressed and tired out as I am. 

However, I really hate the way that school is set up, especially college. Everything seems so focused on what is to come instead of the present. That sounds good in a way, but I don’t like certain aspects of it. For example, the way that your entire high school career, or at least the last half of it, is focused less on exploring and growing as a person and more on boosting a resume. With less pressure to fit a certain image of a worthy college applicant, students would have the time and energy to spend on passions and explore new interests, which would lead them to be desirable applicants anyway. Additionally, why are high schoolers expected to “specialize” and have their future figured out? Most seniors are barely legal adults; why are we expected to know exactly what we want to do for the next six decades of our lives?

Picture Credit: Guy Bianco IV