**The column below represents the personal views of the student journalist.

In seventh grade, I found myself in a position where I was scared, confused, and nervous for my future. My grades weren’t bad but they weren’t good, I didn’t know what I wanted to do for a career, and I didn’t really have the motivation to do anything related to school. Until the end of seventh grade and time came to pick our classes for the next year, I realized that I can be in honors classes. I can try harder, and I can do better. So… I took all honors classes for eighth grade. I was a little nervous considering I only had one honors class in eighth grade, but I took the chance. That’s when my entire mindset switched. I got all A’s first quarter, A’s and B’s in the second and third, and all A’s fourth quarter. Not only that, but I got offered into the Bulldog Scholars program. THAT was my big accomplishment. 

Now, keeping the mindset I’ve had for a long time, I’m doing great in school by taking all honors and one AP class. Are there still things I can improve on? Yes. But have I come a long way and am I proud of myself? Also yes. 

But I can’t lie, being a teenager isn’t easy. Expectations get weighted on you, school becomes draining, and life becomes difficult as you grow into an adult.  Not only that, but school puts the most amount of stress on you no matter what. 

Often, students/teenagers have a fixed mindset. A fixed mindset is one that avoids challenges by thinking “I can’t do it” without even trying the obstacle first. This could also mean giving up on things just because they feel like it isn’t right, or just being negative as a whole. 

Students who held a growth mindset were three times more likely to score top 20% on the achievement test. While students who held a fixed mindset were four times more likely to score bottom 20% on the achievement test, according to Student Experience.

Less often, students/teenagers have a growth mindset. A growth mindset is one that even if they weren’t good at it the first time, they try the obstacle again with more confidence. This could also mean that no matter what they go through, their mindset stays neutral-positive.

Depending on a teenager’s environment, they are affected deeply by one or more of these terms. Physically, intellectually, physiologically, and through social challenges. Sometimes it can be all, and sometimes it can be one or none. 

 A Danish study in 2008 revealed that 48% of physicians had prescribed placebos a minimum of 10 times the previous year. The placebo effect is often caused due to self-awareness, according to Pub Med Central.

Something that is often brushed over lightly as a teenager, is mental health. It’s not talked about as much because it’s a heavy topic, but teens also need to hear about the meaning and how to handle it. 

Mental health plays a big part in mindset, because if your mental health isn’t great then your mindset isn’t going to be great. Having good mental health isn’t easy, but it’s accomplishable. 

Near­ly 1 in 5 (18%) youth ages 12 to 17 have had at least one major depres­sive episode in the past year  about 4.5 million adolescents accord­ing to a 2023 federal sur­vey. A large share, almost 1 in 4 (23%), had either a major depres­sive episode or a substance use disorder in the pre­vi­ous year, according to Youth Mental Health Statistics.

Now, let’s look at the people who find it easier to have a growth mindset. People who see having a neutral-positive mindset tend to have fewer struggles going through things in life even though it may still be hard. 

In teenagers, this can be a belief that skills and abilities can be developed over time through hard work and dedication, rather than just being limited to fixed traits or talents.

Now, let’s look at the people who find it harder to have a growth mindset. People who see having a negative mindset tend to have more struggle going through things in life even if it’s small.

In teenagers, this can be the fixed mindset holding them back, making them think their skills cannot improve, which might stop them from trying new things.

Overall, mindsets can be shifted and changed at any given moment. Just because you have a growth mindset doesn’t mean you’re better than everyone, and having a fixed mindset doesn’t mean you’re any less than anyone.

As a teenager myself, having a mindset where I know I can do things to a certain extent but at the same time challenge myself to push myself further is where I am truly motivated. 

I can promise you that three years ago in seventh grade that if you told me what I have accomplished all throughout those years, I would’ve never believed you. 

But now, and until it changes, I’m in a position where I’m grateful for the education I have, the support system that I’m blessed with, and the comfortability that I found within myself. I am proud to say I am no longer scared, confused, and nervous for my future.