To the high schoolers who are afraid to study in class, don’t listen to the critics.

I’m not talking about studying during lectures. I’m talking about studying during all that free time you get in study halls, lunch, or after-school study hours in which you’re not required to do anything. <br><br>I’m currently in 9th grade and sometimes when I study during lunch, I’m just hell-blasted by my classmates. One time, one of my “friends” even said “you’re a little robot for studying”. <br><br>People in my class often tell me that I need to have fun and live in the moment and all that stuff. I’m not the type of person who can ignore their schoolwork and have fun without thinking about it once. It’s not like I want to. My mind just can’t stop thinking about my grades. <br><br>It’s not like I’m never doing anything else besides studying. I’m in some clubs and extracurriculars, I do stuff with my friends, I already volunteer, and I try to do something creative every day. Not that it’s any of anyone’s business but I’m not a robot. <br><br>My grades are pretty good. I don’t usually get anything below 90s and I was able to get into some of the most challenging classes offered at my school. I’m considering taking a career pathway as well. <br><br>I try my best to ignore them but the constant criticism is getting to the point where I just want to give up. I feel like I’m being judged for doing what comes naturally to me. I’m not a person who can do stuff at the last minute. I would rather do it early regardless of whether it’s schoolwork or future planning. <br><br>Maybe I’m being paranoid. Maybe they’re right and I should just have fun. I don’t know anymore. All I know is that getting bad grades is a nightmare we all wish to wake up from.