I’m a high school student in South Korea, and honestly, I don’t think people realize how mentally exhausting this system can be.
From the outside, it looks like success—high scores, long study hours, discipline. But living through it feels like you’re never allowed to stop.
There were days I studied all day, went to hagwon, came home late at night—and still felt guilty for not doing enough. Even when I tried to rest, I couldn’t. Resting didn’t feel like rest. It felt like I was falling behind everyone else.
At some point, I realized I wasn’t studying to learn anymore. I was studying just to avoid anxiety.
What makes it worse is that you’re constantly being compared. Rankings, grades, evaluations—you always know where you stand. No one has to say anything. You just feel it.
And because of that, even friendships feel different. You’re sitting next to someone every day, but at the same time, you’re competing with them. It’s a strange feeling that’s hard to explain.
The scariest part is how everything feels like it comes down to a few exams. Years of effort, stress, and pressure—compressed into a single moment that feels like it decides your future.
I know this system creates hardworking students. But I also think it creates a lot of anxiety that people don’t talk about enough.
Sometimes I wonder—how different would I be if I grew up in a different education system?
What is it like where you live?
submitted by /u/LululalaIN
[link] [comments]
