Rebirth and Growth Despite Challenges

A+person+helping+a+girl+out+of+an+abyss.

Mohita Ilamurugan '24

A person helping a girl out of an abyss.

Enduring struggles is a familiar task that a myriad of students have dealt with. From seasonal depression to abrupt changes into a new environment, this year has proved to be challenging yet rewarding to most. The fruit of our labor only comes with arduous struggle and hard work. 

Casting a dreary shadow, the onset of winter altered the perspective of an average student as the struggles of high school never seemed to end. For some freshmen, the change was an opportunity for reflection.  

Personally, dealing with a rigorous course load and extracurriculars was challenging, but learning to accept failure and choose to grow from my mistakes instead of letting them define me was one of the biggest lessons I’ve learned,” said Prabha Krishna ’25.   

Now, with the warmer weather and the approach of the end of the year, several students glimpse hope coming near. However, the spring brings its own challenges, with AP and state testing and several rushed deadlines. At Edison High though, with the successful transition from remote learning to in-person, the students and staff are more than capable of tackling any issues that come their way—whether it be in the classroom or out.

Oftentimes, students never give themselves a break and put constant pressure on themselves to do better, be better, strive for the best, and yet our best still fails to meet our expectations. To accept failure is one aspect, but to strive to make mistakes is a thought process high school students fail to comprehend. The importance of simply living our lives poses a challenge, but the ability to grow from this challenge is a key component to surviving the journey of high school.

“I was very stressed and didn’t ask anyone for help and buried myself in school work 24/7 but now I’ve grown in terms of balancing school and my social life and I allow myself to be a kid sometimes while also getting school work done. I learned how to manage my emotions better and look out for my mental health too,” said Jiya Thomas ’25. 

Personally, dealing with a rigorous course load and extracurriculars was challenging, but learning to accept failure and choose to grow from my mistakes instead of letting them define me was one of the biggest lessons I’ve learned.

— Prabha Krishna '25

Not only are the challenges of high school itself prevalent, but the future seniors face is also a daunting prospect. In an unseemingly “far away future,” seniors must deal with a completely different environment as opposed to the familiar home of the nest. Rising seniors find themselves in a unique position following their experiences with the pandemic during high school.  

“The Covid shutdown made that more difficult as it was then harder to actually reach out and participate since everything was done remotely. That time did give me a chance though to spend time reflecting on how I wanted to proceed with the rest of my time in high school and fix my mistakes from freshman year. I feel like that time and reflection has let me enjoy high school as a junior the way I am now,” said Lavanya Rao ’23. We, as young adults, need to face challenges and experience regret despite the struggles we encounter in the world.

Similar to a flower, we go through harsh conditions in order to bloom in the end. High school may seem long, but the path to growth takes even more skill to bounce back from. And despite challenges, we should always strive to experience growth and rebirth.