BY TARA RASTOGI Y ou spent years being told that board exams were everything. You studied, you stressed, and you survived. Then the results came, and somehow, things became even more stressful. The summer between 10th and 11th is in a strange limbo. You're too old for a carefree holiday, yet too unsure of the …
BY TARA RASTOGI
Y ou spent years being told that board exams were everything. You studied, you stressed, and you survived. Then the results came, and somehow, things became even more stressful.
The summer between 10th and 11th is in a strange limbo. You’re too old for a carefree holiday, yet too unsure of the future to know what to do with the time you’re suddenly expected to spend being productive rather than couch- rotting. The questions start immediately. Science or commerce? Which college? Which Board? Every conversation seems to be accompanied by talk of adulthood. There is little room to breathe.
Previous summers were so easy. Internships, summer schools, and work are all suddenly dumped on us. Nobody prepared us for any of it, and there is so much pressure to deliver,” says Aanya Lopes, 15. Then comes the stream choice one decision carrying enormous stakes. And here is the silent problem: We in India often tend to rank students by stream. Science and Commerce get applause. Humanities? Polite questioning and dismissive looks.
“It feels like I’m somehow less intelligent compared to friends taking science. People my age look at me with pitying expressions, all because I’m taking history,” says Kiana Rupani, 16.
And then junior college begins. A new campus, unfamiliar faces, a syllabus that seems to double overnight, and teachers who assume a level of independence you were never trained for. Your old comfort zone disappears, and the weight of that transition hits harder than many people realise.
“Teenagers often suggestions from people who went through these experiences years ago. But what we really need is direction and guidance that can help us right now,” says Chahna Yagnik, 16.
Child psychologist Aparna Verma puts it plainly: “We expect our children to start acting grown-up immediately, without providing any clear roadmap. As a result, many students struggle with their grades, future education, and mental health. When their stream choices are questioned on top of that, they are left without support in an already competitive environment. That is when students begin comparing themselves to others, pushing beyond their limits, and sometimes heading down a very dark path.
However, here is the truth: you’re not falling behind- you’re simply finding your rhythm. Adulthood can wait. It has been waiting for sixteen years already. You do not have to sprint towards it.
(Tara Rastogi, 15, is a Mumbai- based student at Don Bosco International School studying under the IB curriculum. She is preparing to enter Grade 11 as a Humanities student. She enjoys reading, writing, and sharing stories and ideas that matter to her.)
Join the Club
Like this story? You’ll love our monthly newsletter.
