Students feel anxiety from the academic pressure that they face. The overwhelming workload paired with the societal pressure to participate in multiple, time consuming extracurriculars, forces them into exhaustion and a constant state of worry about their academic performance. Students spend hours each day studying for tests, completing their homework assignments, and working on projects. Often, they are forced to stay up late to complete these tasks, as they have activities such as sports, music, volunteering and more after school that take up their time. Colleges put a big emphasis on these extracurricular activities, but they also put a big emphasis on good grades. Students find it nearly impossible to balance all of these things while also maintaining a social life, a healthy sleep schedule, exercise, and an overall happy mental state. These pictures depict the struggle of high school students, and the toll that academic pressure takes on their mental health.

Gallery • 3 Photos

Schyler Holt

A student rests their head on a desk filled with schoolwork at their home in West Hartford, Conn., on Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2025. As extracurricular commitments pile up alongside academic demands, many students report feeling overwhelmed by the pressure to excel in every area.