I think it's a good time to be talking about this since Malaysia has gone into a Restricted Movement Order. Everyone’s out of school, those who were supposed to start March Intake for college or university have been delayed while others have (luckily) wrapped up their programmes just before all that has happened recently.
Here's some food for thought while you all are cooped up at home.
The other day, I saw one of my closest friends’ snaps mentioning something along the lines of “peaking in high school” and it got me thinking: Did I myself peak in high school?
Hmmmmmmm.
I left high school about two years ago. It has been awhile since I last step foot in my alma mater, so do I miss it? Sometimes I do and sometimes I don’t. The years spent there had been the best and also worst. I did well in academics and stayed relatively active in extracurricular activities – prefects, Leo Club, school magazine editorial team, etcetera. I made memories doing all these things, but aside school matters, I also had my moments as a teenager on the outside. So, I think it’s safe to say that I more or less peaked in high school.
But what exactly is this whole concept of “peaking”?
- Jinnie Cristerna, JetMag.Com
In simple words, it's trying to say that your greatest and only achievements occurred during high school. After you leave, you may not succeed as much as you did before. It essentially means that you are nothing after high school ends. Take this graph as an example:
The line that's peaking is, well, you peaking during high school. It drops after you graduate, and becomes stagnant in college, university or adulthood because you don't achieve anything extraordinary anymore.
That is so to say, which is why some people tell you peaking in high school is kind of bad because apparently, "this is as good as it gets".
How's It Been For Me
When I began college, I became inactive for obvious reasons. I needed to focus on transitioning from high school to college, and switching from my Science brain to my Art-sy brain. Adapting to group work and assignments was another thing too, so I didn't involve myself in anything extra. TLDR, I lived a standard life compared to during high school. I believe that these changes were necessary, so it was no surprise that there wasn't anything special happening.
Honestly, I enjoyed it because back then, I had been constantly doing things for other people. I didn't have enough me-time. So, in college, I had more time to work on myself as an individual. I guess I took Foundation Year as a breather to figure out what's good and what's next. I am still something after high school has ended; a work in progress, a person gone into meditation...call it what you want.
Of course, after college, I have planned to get back to climbing mountains in university because there's more to life than this pitstop.
This Is Not The End
I don't think it matters too much whether you peaked or didn't peaked in high school because high school is not the only stop, neither will it be the last. You still have a long time more to go in life -- to develop, grow and become a better person than before. There are other points to look out for. So, you shouldn't be waving the white flag and surrender. If you were able to adjust your gears for this mountain, then it's possible to do the same thing again. Hold onto the courage and build the ability to climb another mountain.
But, most importantly, do realise that this is not a competition. Everyone has got different gears. Focus on your gears, not other people's.
Whoever that's reading this, your journey just begun. Doors have been just opened. Everything is your call, so you must take control of how you want things to be. Lying around and wailing about it is not going to benefit you in any aspect. As Red from The Shawshank Redemption said:
What about you? Did you peak in high school? And what do you think about it?
Until my next post, see ya. Peace out.
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