The Overachievers: Post #3

One thing I learned about in this book is ways you can deal with stress. One student featured in the book, Audrey, has panic attacks leading up to the SAT's. Her dad takes away her vocabulary flashcards until she promises not to study until the test. This happens two days before the test because he wants her to be relaxed and have a clear head. "Abruptly, Audrey's father grabbed the vocabulary cards.'You're done with these,' he said. 'It's a mental game, and I know you can do it. But you can't do this to yourself. You did this for the PSAT. You can't do it again'"(p.289)
Ryland is another teen who is stressed out. He became depressed due to this stress. "The pressure was enormous. Ryland got overwhelmed and put off homework and studying because he didn't want the stress to suffocate him. ... Freshman year, his depression had caused him to fall behind. ..."(p.250) Ryland has problems with his stress and this caused his depression to worsen.
One more example from Audrey that displays stress perfectly can be found. "'You're not sick. You're making yourself sick,' her mother replied with compassion. ' You know you psych yourself out. You have to stop letting your stress get to you." Audrey worked herself up over grades so much to the point of sickness. To deal with stress, the book has shown me that you need to relax. If you focus too long on one thing, it can be detrimental to your efforts. Relaxation allows us to absorb the information, then go back for more. We don't cram everything into our heads when we relax.

The book has enlightened me in the study of overachieving. I understood people stressed themselves out over grades, and I knew what a perfectionist was. I never knew that such things could be so harmful to people. Perfectionists sometimes hurt themselves due to what they call not good enough. "A high-achieving Massachusetts senior told me she slit her wrists because of 'the feeling that I wasn't perfect. If I wasn't good enough to be perfect, I wasn't good enough to be alive.'" Statements like that show how dangerous overachieving can be, as these people are convinced that their best will never be good enough and only perfection is acceptable. This book has shown me how wanting to do well is good, but to overachieve can end up being a bad thing. As shown previously, students will go to extreme lengths, whether emotional or physical, to satisfy their needs of self-punishment due to imperfection.

The author had no specifically stated thesis. Each chapter taught a new lesson on a different perspective of overachieving. Each chapter talked about topics such as stress, competitive learning environments, etc. The author clearly made her point on the negative effects of overachieving. I would recommend this book to peers because it educates, demonstrates exmples through events or feelings that are part of overachieving behaviors. The students written about as examples show us the dangers of overachieving from hurting oneself to feeling like your best is never good enough. The book is a wake-up call to readers on the dangers found in pressure from other students as well as parents and the educational system.

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The Overachiever Post #2

My opinion of my book at this point is that the book is interesting. The book tracks a few students in high school and a college freshman. As the reader, I receive a summary of their day to day lives in segments. The book clearly exceeds my expectations. When I chose this book, I expected the typical non-fiction book with basically a list of facts. By this book tracking these students, it provides alternate as well as realistic views to supported the presented facts. I agree with the authors reasoning. The author claims that overachieving isn't necessary and can have negative effects on a persons health. This is the point that lead me to agree with the author. It can even be seen at Cherry Hill East, students will work themselves up over projects and tests. I can personally say this happens because everybody is their own worst enemy. I have become sick due to stressing out over schoolwork.
I am unable to see flaws in the authors strategy because with the factual evidence, the reader receives real life examples through the students the author followed.

I have learned how cutthroat the process by which some places in America and all over the world, specifically Asia, that if children don't display certain abilities (instrumental, etc.) by a certain age, they may not be admitted into a pre-school. In Japan, a mother strangled her neighbor's 2 year old daughter who had beat her own child out for a spot in a prestigious pre-school. These events also occur in America. This quote takes place at an admissions session for a pre-school in New York. "(p.168)the real danger is a perfectly wonderful child will not be accepted to any schools. ..." This shows that there are only so many independent schools that in the number of students that apply, some of the brightest may not make the cut. If and admission's officer has to pick between the extremely bright child or the child of an alumni, then the bright child will not win the spot due to the support the school receives.

"It's one thing for a child to be what's called a 'normal perfectionist,' someone who strives to excel but accepts personal limitations. When children are routinely judged by their achievements, however, they can become 'neurotic perfectionists.' These are the perfectionists who chastise themselves over mistakes, who obsess over the lone A-minus on an otherwise straight-A report card, who come to adopt the attitude that if they aren't perfect then they are below average. ..."(p.264)
This passage is very interesting it is true. There are students such as many of the students followed in this book, who will work themselves into a hysterical frenzy over assignments and grades. They will feel dejected and act as if the world is ending if they get one bad grade, treating it as an "eyesore" among high marks. The normal perfectionist is just a person who wants to do their best, and is able to realize when they have to walk away from a task. I believe that there is no need to work yourself up over assignments, sometimes there are limits you are unable to surpass. When that point is reached, you must accept that your have reached the zenith of your potential.

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The Overachievers: The Secret Lives of Driven Kids By: Alexandra Robbins

The topic I have chosen for my blog project was to read The Overachievers. The topic the book covers is very interesting. It seems to mirror my life at time and that of many students at Cherry Hill- High School East. I hope to learn what causes students to “overachieve” in school and for what reasons. I know that I always am able to do better even when there may not be a higher level to reach. Students like that are interesting and this book takes a deeper look into the reasoning of kids like this and how some of them live day to day.
The book, The Overachievers: The Secret Lives of Driven Kids, by: Alexandra Robbins, focuses on how students that try to do better than the best possible point live, and the reasons that these actions occur. The author’s thesis for the book seems to be, to show the qualities and aspects that shape overachievers. Each chapter has a specific topic from the thesis , along with the students the book follows having an excerpt of what happens to them in that year of school that has to relate to the topic. The topics each chapter covers are qualities or actions that overachievers are affected by or have. There is no visible thesis, rather, it is illustrated throughout each chapter as we progressively see how each topic shapes an overachiever.

If I could meet...

If I had a chance to meet any person that existed in the past and present, I would meet Ron Hextall. He was an extremely entertaining person to watch play hockey. Whether he was scoring the first recorded goal for a goalie, beating up Chris Chelios, or just doing his usual antics, he showed a player that wasn't afraid to act on impulse for good or bad in his sport.