I'm so tired of getting compared to other Asian kids
So for context, I (17M), am a high school senior who is about to go to college soon. And for this last summer and semester, I just want to relax, do nothing, play video games all day, and finally take a load off. I think I deserve it. I've been grinding APs and extracurriculars for 4 years because my parents made me, and I'm literally done with college apps. But no, my parents won't let me have a break. Apparently, because "every other kid worked harder than you," and "every other senior is trying to find a job this summer," I have to do stuff too. Like, wtf? What the heck happened to senioritis? Or even like finally becoming an adult and being able to make your own decisions? Man, I was so naive, I thought that as soon as I'll turn into an adult they'll be completely out of my life, but no, to them I'm still a kid and they can just make me do whatever they want.
But the worst thing is, the kids(I guess we're all 17 or 18 now, but I'll call them kids) they keep on comparing me to are all these Asian kids who grew up just grinding math problems or science olympiads or whatever because their parents forced them to. I used to be friends with these kids when I was 13 or younger, since all of our parents are friends, but over the last couple of years I've been slowly forging my own path and identity. Now, most of my friends are white, Indian, biracial, Black, etc. and I don't even talk to those Asian kids I grew up with anymore. Like, I haven't been friends with them for years, and I felt like I finally have an identity and a set of interests for myself that I made. But no, that doesn't matter, because apparently just because this Asian kid did something, I have to do it too, or else my parents are going to feel so insecure and ashamed that their son isn't as achieving as much as their friends' son is. BUT I'M NOT EVEN FRIENDS WITH THOSE KIDS ANYMORE! I don't even engage with them on a daily basis in any way. I only talk to them when I have to at Asian get-togethers or whatever, and I fucking hate those. So everything just fucking sucks.
It's actually ridiculous, though. So many of the bad things that have happened to me, like for example my parents forcing me to apply to a major I have no interest in for college, my parents forcing me to take even more AP classes in my junior year, my parents forcing me to mess up my entire schedule with random extracurriculars, etc. etc. etc. have all been because of some random kid of their friends who did something, and now they don't want me to "fall behind." But like I have no interest in engaging with that community anymore. I don't talk to those kids, I don't give a shit about what they're doing. Like Jesus fucking Christ, why can't I just have my own personality and my own interests? In their mind I'm still a ten-year-old boy who is friends with all of those Asian kids.
I just want to be respected, honestly. And be able to have control of my life and have say over who I am as a person without that being decided for me. I swear to God I need to get out of here. I've worked so hard for them already, and yet "it's not enough" because some other kid did something that was harder? I just want to be left alone. I didn't get to enjoy my teenage years at all, and now they want to take over my adulthood. I'm not fucking having it, man. I swear to God I just want to be myself.
Posted Feb 26, 2026, 3:32 AM UTC