The days of high school are the golden days of life for most of us. Being young and carefree, being naive and unapologetic, bouncing between childish and mature, all of us have done it. To be a kid and think of yourself as an adult, making horrible mistakes, and learning from them, going through classes waiting for the bell, distracting friends, and laughing with them in their pain. The nicknames and the inside jokes, getting group detention and laughing it off, together. The memories we made at that time will make us laugh until the day we die.

Walking down memory lane, the days we had in school were the best days of our lives. Leaving great first impressions, participating in extra-curricular activities, sharing our life, with friends, being a Class Leader, or a back-bencher, or enjoying the best of both worlds, are some of the things that shaped us into what we are today. As kids, even the lunch hour served a dual purpose for us, playing was more important than food. Unlimited fun, along with academics, was what made that time golden.

The dreams we used to have in our heads, about how life was going to be like after school, the eagerness to grow up, and be called an adult. The excitement for the beginning of the rest of our lives is all very thrilling. Then the day arrives, and the realization hits us square in the face. Life isn't exactly going to be as we imagined it to be, and slowly we accept it to grow up. We stop being children and learn of the responsibilities of life.

One of the major decisions we have to face is to choose the fate of our lives. We are supposed to decide the field of study, which will direct our lives towards better prospects. Based on preferences and trends, becoming an engineer, doctor, lawyer, accountant, teacher, a chef are the usual options going through our head. Whatever the choice may be, life from that moment on changes in unimaginable ways.

Now starts the preparation phase for the respective entrance exams. The keys to the best educational institutes in the country are on the other side of these exams. A huge rejection rate, along with peer and societal expectations, turns daily life stressful.

Competition at this level exerts so much pressure on the kids that they start finding ways to escape. Some choose procrastination, while others go for severe ignorance. But these temporary fixes don't help. The pressure keeps on building, slowly and steadily, with every passing day. As the exam dates draw near, the situation becomes a literal Pressure Cooker.

Every student deals with this kind of stress and pressure in their unique ways. Some choose to work through it while others go through denial. Some use procrastination while others go for distractions. Whatever the road they take, the exam snaps them right back to reality. The situation becomes disastrous in many situations where students don't even hesitate to take harsh steps. But is it all worth it?

Young and impressionable minds of students can't always cope with the ever-increasing amount of stress they have to handle. Overthinking adds to the problem. Students give up their hobbies and passions for the exams, and they are left with no options to deal with that stress. Often this leads to a build-up of more pressure, which is sometimes even fatal. It is easy to forget that life is more important than college life.

In conclusion, the best way to get through this extremely stressful phase of life is by living it to the fullest. Time management, regular practice, building a strong fundamental knowledge of the subjects are the usual advice imparted to students. What no one advises is to let go of all inhibitions and take a load off. Work for your goals when you have to, and enjoy whenever you can. Live as children do fully immersed in the present moment. Live, laugh, learn, and never let the child inside you die. We try to teach children all about life while children teach us what life is all about. Let us all learn from the children, stay calm, and see every day with a fresh perspective. Take the lid off and breathe.