By Catherine Orr ‘22, Commentary Editor

The other day at the lunch table, as we were stressing over our grades, various assessments, and other responsibilities as juniors in high school, my friend announced, “I feel like I peaked academically in the fifth grade!” She meant it as a joke, but the more I thought about it, the more I found myself agreeing with her statement. Of course I wasn’t more academically advanced when I was learning how to do long division and write cursive, but mentally, I felt unstoppable — like no matter what material was thrown at me, I would not only be able to learn it, but excel. Now, learning new material doesn’t always bring me the same confidence, and instead comes with test anxiety and a fear of underperforming, or worse: failing. 

Our lunchroom conversation soon led to whether or not we were considered “gifted” in our elementary school days, and how un-gifted we felt now. In my elementary school, I was placed into the “gifted and talented” program. I say this not to brag, (though it did give me a slight superiority complex over the other third graders who weren’t yet at a ninth-grade reading level), but because a lot of students at NA were probably placed in a similar category in their younger years. Being considered “gifted” at my elementary school meant being placed in the higher-level reading groups, or getting to do Khan Academy math while the other kids were learning with the teacher. Excelling academically when I was younger got me attention and recognition for my achievements, and drove my academic confidence up. In elementary and early middle school, I didn’t feel like I had to “try” to do well in my classes. Things came to me easily; it felt like I was cruising through my schoolwork, until I got to high school here at Newark Academy, and I had to slam on the brakes. All of a sudden, the things that came so easily to me didn’t anymore, and I didn’t have the work ethic to do well because I never needed it before.

The term “gifted kid burnout” has become a popular term on social media, on Instagram and Twitter, and a hashtag trending on Tiktok. People who were considered gifted or talented in their childhood post videos of themselves and the behaviour they’ve adopted as a result, with the hashtag #giftedkidburnout. Common themes in the videos include issues with time management, procrastination, anxiety, and harmful perfectionism. In one video, a boy lists “perfectionistic with high standards but no motivation, fear of letting people down, and waits until the last minute to finish assignments” as typical characteristics of gifted kid burnout. 

Feeling like a “burnt out gifted kid” could mean that when you were a kid you were obsessed with the idea that perfectionism and high academic achievement should be prioritized above all else, and you did achieve that – when you were nine. But getting used to the feeling of ease and lack of effort you had with school work when you were younger also means you may never have learned, or needed to learn, good study habits. As a result, you’re left with high expectations but low motivation and procrastination to study when your academics became more difficult. You’re really just “burnt out.” Research done by Carol Dweck, a psychology professor at Stanford, found that giving kids labels like “gifted” pushes them into having a “fixed mindset”; believing that qualities like their intelligence are unalterable. She says that people with a fixed mindset “fear challenge and devalue effort,” and “don’t want to do anything that could expose their flaws and call into question their talent.” This can happen to students when we’ve been so used to excelling in academics or other areas of our lives. Suddenly we aren’t anymore, and we’re too tired or lazy to build the bridges that we could once cross so easily. 

This is not to say that you should owe previously “gifted kids” your pity, or that these behaviors are exclusive to formerly “gifted kids.” “Gifted kid burnout” is a natural consequence of being raised in an environment that can associate self-worth with perfectionism or good grades, and promote a fixed mindset mentality. And though the content in the “gifted kid burnout” posts can be funny and relatable, it is serious. Next time you feel overwhelmed, or like there’s no point in trying, remember to apply a growth mindset; that your true potential is unknown, and that intelligence isn’t a fixed trait. Being a healthy student is also about finding a balance for academics in your life. You shouldn’t have to overwork yourself to meet your expectations. You haven’t peaked yet.