Did you know that approximately 17% of people in the world could be called an overachiever, according to the online website Hogan? But what makes someone an overachiever?

An overachiever is a person who tends to do better than what was expected of them. Based on the Power of Positivity, overachievers oftentimes ask others for help freely or plan ahead. However, while being an overachiever is good for one’s grade and future, there’s also a downside to being named as one. For example, overachievers might miss a fun day out and may overwork too much.  

“I don’t consider myself an overachiever, although other people do consider me one. I think of it like ‘doing what is expected of me.’ People expect me to do good, so I must live up to that expectation. I slack off sometimes and put a little too much effort into a project even when the due date is in a few hours,” freshman Rochelle Narciso said.

While interviewing freshman Bailey Leong, I realized that she’s extremely motivated when it comes to school work and any responsibility that she has.  “There are times where I would call myself an overachiever, as I take on schoolwork, multiple extracurricular activities, and other responsibilities, like Division Council,” Leong said. 

After interviewing some of my classmates, I noticed that there is a pattern in their daily life. Both of the people I interviewed had sources of motivation. Narcisos is her family, and Leongs is creating a better future for herself.  

When people hear the word “overachiever,” there can be many ways they can view it. Either they view it in a positive way or a negative way. Positive ways people can view the world could be that they’re smart children who are confident, they love working, or that they have very great lives. However, other people may hear the word ‘overachieving’ in a negative way, such as a person having no time for friends or always overworking themselves.

Personally, I do not view nor consider myself as an overachiever. When it comes to work, I sometimes do not go the extra mile that overachievers go to, and sometimes often find myself procrastinating to even get the work done. However, sometimes I will go the extra mile or sometimes over and get my work to be done perfectly the way I want it. 

Overachieving can be very beneficial to your future; however, your mental health always comes first. Within the two interviews, both Leong and Narciso always put their mental health first. 

Overall, personally, I think it’s impressive to have all these hobbies, and still get A’s in every one of their classes. Some people are natural overachievers, while other people strive to be overachievers, and that’s amazing!