“Do Jefferson students… have social lives?”

To the outside world, Jefferson is somewhat of a mystery. We win competitions, churn out high standardized test scores, and are considered one of the best public high schools in the nation. But outside of all the flashy achievements and titles, what actually goes on inside the walls of Jefferson? Is it really how everyone says it is: a cutthroat atmosphere filled with overly anxious students?

The connotations associated with Jefferson are overwhelmingly negative. The popular belief is that students here are unhappy, burnt out and excessively competitive. Before we even step foot into Jefferson, many of us are already aware of the horror stories — an overwhelming course load, sleepless nights spent cramming for exams, constant stress and the grueling class known as AP Physics.

Although all the advice we hear is intended to help us, it also instills a sense of fear and discouragement. We come into Jefferson prepared for the worst, and as a result, it becomes much easier to find it. This hopelessness is only one effect of getting swept up in the idea of a universal “Jefferson experience.” Another consequence is the needless pressure it creates. It feels like if we aren’t pushing ourselves to the breaking point every single day, we must not be working hard enough. If we aren’t constantly struggling, we must be doing something wrong.

Not only is this mindset incredibly toxic and harmful, but it also prevents us from appreciating all of the amazing aspects about our school. This narrative of Jefferson leaves out our diverse clubs and cultures that come together every year to give an incredible iNite. It leaves out the immense effort and thought that goes into Homecoming week. It leaves out the humanities and arts departments that continue to create and inspire. It loses sight of the feature of Jefferson that matters most — the students.

When we only see Jefferson as a place full of inescapable hardship, we force students to be the ones that change. Many of us feel the need to morph ourselves into the stereotypical Jefferson student we’ve all heard about, and as a result, we begin to lose a part of ourselves. We start obsessing over our grades, because other people are. We let our sleep schedules drift later and later, because we believe that we can only pick two from “sleep, friends and grades.” We quit activities that we love but don’t believe are “prestigious” enough, because we believe that making sacrifices is part of the Jefferson experience. We assume that everyone around us is doing activities and classes just for the sake of getting into a good college, so we feel pressured to do the same.

We accept and normalize all of this, because generations of students before us have. However, just because something is common doesn’t mean that it should be considered normal. We shouldn’t accept sleep-deprivation and excessive anxiety as unchangeable parts of the Jefferson experience. We have the power to change them.

Yes, it is possible to be happy at Jefferson. It’s definitely not easy, but it can be done. I can say with absolute certainty that Jefferson students are not emotionless robots and do indeed have social lives. As shocking as it may sound, we do have fun, both inside and outside of school. We care about things outside of academics, like our friends and clubs. Maybe we’re not the most athletic high school out there, but we have something much more valuable — school spirit.

I’m not trying to sugarcoat all of the challenges and disappointments that Jefferson students go through. It will be stressful and overwhelming at times, but Jefferson is not defined by its hard classes and competitive culture. Jefferson is special because we’re made up of so many diverse students, cultures and clubs, not because of our course rigor.

Instead of scaring incoming and prospective students with stories of our worst moments at Jefferson, we should share all the beautiful memories we’ve made here. We should encourage each other to explore all of the wonderful opportunities we have at Jefferson, rather than only fixate on the negatives.

If we keep telling ourselves that Jefferson is solely a toxic and overly competitive school, we’re never going to escape it. Our current mindset fuels a never-ending cycle that needs to stop now. It’s up to us to share a new story of Jefferson, one including the challenges we face here, but also of hope. By letting go of this need to follow the stereotypical “Jefferson experience,” we can find more joy in our high school journey.

We create our own legacy. This is our house, Jefferson.