During a science test in 6th grade about kinetic energy, I was extremely confident that I would get a good score, because I had studied for more than an hour the previous night. But when I took the actual test, there were many problems that I was confused by or stuck on. I thought I would do fine but when my science teacher handed back the test, I was shocked to see that I had gotten less than half of the questions correct. I was disappointed in myself because, although I had studied for it, I still hadn’t passed the test. One of the biggest challenges students face today are high expectations. These expectations come from ourselves, as well as our friends, family and admission committees. Additionally, because of the devices we can use to entertain ourselves instead of doing our work, another challenge we face is staying focused. 

One of the greatest challenges today’s students face is staying focused in general. Procrastination is such a big problem right now, because it’s hard to stay focused when you do your homework on the same device you use for entertainment. For example, when I do homework it’s usually online. When I get stuck or find myself at a challenging part I tend to browse the internet for things I like. With just a few clicks, I can delay my assignments for a while. Also, I increase the chance that I’ll never get the assignment done. My cell phone is also a challenge for staying focused because it allows me to start to play a mobile game in a matter of seconds. ABC news reported that, “Teens spend an average of seven hours and 22 minutes on their phones a day, and tweens -- ages 8 to 12 -- are not far behind, at four hours and 44 minutes daily, according to a new report by Common Sense Media, a nonprofit that promotes safe technology and media for children.” Because of the hours we spend on phones, students might be easily tempted to entertain themselves, instead of finishing their assignments. Also, when we spend this much time on phones, when we actually do our school work it may be really hard to focus. Finally, not only do the hours we spend on phones affect our school work, leaving us without enough time to complete it, but they also affect our personal lives, leaving no time for sports, outdoor activities, etc. 

Another serious challenge students face today is meeting expectations. One of those types of expectations are parent expectations. My parents expect me to get all A’s on my report card every semester. Although I try my best in all my classes, I still sometimes mess up on tests, projects, homework, etc. This is hard because I may not always get what my parents and I want me to get. If I don’t get what my parents and I want me to get, I will feel like I let them down and I’ll be disappointed in myself. Students also have expectations of themselves to keep up with what our friends are accomplishing. Once I took a math test on which I got a terrible score, but all my friends got perfect or almost perfect scores. This made me feel even worse about my terrible score. Sometimes, when my friends get a better score than I do, it motivates me and encourages me to work harder and to do better. However, it’s more negative than positive because we are not just competing for the best scores but also for places at private schools or colleges. We also have to make sure that we do well enough to meet the expectations of the Admissions Committees to be accepted into the competitive private schools or colleges we want to go to. 

I talked to my science teacher about my low test score and he was willing to let me retake it. Two days later I came into his classroom at lunchtime and retook the test. This time I understood all of the questions and found the test easier than before. When I handed in the test, I felt confident and hopeful. Asking for help from teachers is important, especially when you're struggling in class. High expectations are one of the biggest challenges students face, but communicating with teachers can help students manage this challenge. One other challenge students face is staying focused, especially because it's easy to be distracted by devices. Being a student isn’t easy. All students will face many challenges. But while there may be some rough times, we need to keep moving forward.