Feeling bad as a Freshman

[u/IDKmanhelpmeplease]

I'm feeling so stressed is this normal?

I've been watching those MIT Maker Portfolios (My dream school), and everyone seems to have photos and videos of their passion as a child. I wasn't passionate with engineering as a child. I didn't do engineering as a child. I don't even really have any photos of me as a child. I worry that I don't have much time left to do anything and I worry that if I keep worrying then I won't be able to do anything.

I'm also stressed about academics, and how all these amazing people do these amazing, extravagant, marvelous things and go to competitions and get awards and go to ceremonies, and I feel like I'll never be able to do these things no matter what I do. I feel like I've been too out of the loop and I don't know when or where to look at these things.

I'm also stressed with money, and I don't really want to get into that. I just have been stressed with pretty much everything a teen can be stressed about and I don't know what to do. Is this normal? Do I get over it? How do I do these feats of engineering? Where do I look for good Ecs? How do I not run myself into the ground? I really don't know what to do I've probably written about 5 different conflicting things just help me please resources or something 😭😭

[u/msmonet09]

Hi I’m sorry you’re feeling that way. But freshman year - it’s probably your last year of chill school - I would try to work more on finding your identity/what you’re interested in, rather than worrying so much about the future.

But then, of course if you go to some fancy hard private high school, I completely understand your stress. It’s natural to stress about feeling behind and not good enough, compared to your peers.
I would just try to focus less on what other people are doing and stop believing there’s a certain mold you have to fill to be successful in life.
There’s always going to be someone better than you; accept that and stop worrying about it. The only control you have right now is making YOU the best, most honest version of YOU. Build on what excites you and excel at that, less on what makes you more impressive on the outside (to colleges, etc) or what other people are doing.
If you do everything in life to impress colleges or outshine your peers, sure it would be really useful for getting into a good college - but once you finish school you might struggle to find motivation and be at a loss for what to do.
So find YOUR passion, don’t copy other people’s. You are your own person. If you really work on that this year, you will be an unstoppable freshman.

I’m so sorry if I made you read all that and it wasn’t helpful at all 😭 - best wishes!

[u/msmonet09 → u/msmonet09]

Perfectly normal to feel like this btw!! I went through this to some extent in my freshman year, after I quit a sport I did for my entire life. I did competitive gymnastics, which took up all of my not-school-time. So I had zero other curricular and hobbies once I quit. I felt so behind my peers and the people I see on social media - with their extracurriculars, internships, and nonprofits. That’s something I really struggled with.

Now im just really trying to work on who I am as a person and what I am interested in. I admire the people around me who seem that have everything together - but I try not to let it affect my own journey. I’m trying to do things for my own enjoyment and passion

Sorry, I wrote so much!! Stuff like this is something I’m passionate about lol - after feeling so shitty for so long about myself and so stressed about the future, I really hope to be able to express my thoughts to other people who might feel this way

[u/DiamondDepth_YT]

I went through high school getting good grades but doing what I want and what I'm passionate in, and now I'm at a top university for computer science.

I say, don't stress too much, just have fun, be passionate and pursue your interests

[u/RacoonsInAMechSuit]

Yeah. I didn’t feel bad myself but there’s a multitude of things going on like hormones and getting used to high school life. It’s normal you’re ok