What does it mean to be a high performance student?

High Performance: You may have heard the term occasionally in conversation, or perhaps you know someone who is or was a high-achieving student. This article is written to give you an idea of ​​what the term refers to and what the life of a high-achieving student might be like, based on my own experience.

When referring to a student who hasn't graduated from high school, the term is used in Mexico to quickly describe their unusual lifestyle. The average student's schedule might look something like this: wake up, go to school, return home or attend an extracurricular activity, do homework, and finally go to sleep. A high performance student's schedule, however, can be very different.

High performance is related to an activity to which a student can dedicate a large part of their day or week. This activity could be sports, the arts, music, or anything else they are passionate about. For example, when I was 11, I had a classmate who spent seven hours a day practicing her instruments. Yes, plural: instruments. At that age, she already knew how to play nine different musical instruments. On weekends, my friend played at weddings, worked in an orchestra, and gave private concerts, even when she had Latin, math, and history homework due on Monday.

These students are guided from a young age to pursue their dreams and passions. Thinking about the goal of earning a scholarship in the future helps them when they feel tired. Because the reality is that these students are constantly looking toward the future. Their academic training may be as important as, or even secondary to, their passions. And, of course, there's nothing wrong with that.

In fact, at Academia Conari, we believe that students should receive all the support they need to pursue their dreams and achieve their goals. We believe that students should also receive that support within their academic institution. That's why their education at Conari is tailored to their needs and lifestyle. High-achieving students are already very busy; dedicating a lot of time to homework and studying is a stress we don't impose on them.

I remember what it was like for me. I would wake up before dawn to put on my sports clothes and have a quick breakfast with my father before we'd hurry to the car, covered in the cold morning dew. Then we could avoid the traffic to get to the tennis courts, where I would spend the morning training: two hours of drills and technique with my coach, an hour for a doubles match with the adults who attended the group classes, and another hour of strength training and weightlifting in the gym. By the time my father picked me up, I'd already played four hours of tennis, which left my muscles throbbing. Then it was time to go to school in Conari, another four hours, and then back to the courts for another two to four hours, until it got dark, and I'd drive back home to repeat it all the next day.

I was one of the first students at Conari Academy. Before Conari, school and homework didn't allow me the time to practice on the courts. My dream seemed unattainable because I was getting older every day and had a great scholarship to compete for. When I attended Conari, my high-performance lifestyle was honed, and I was able to get the full scholarship I had always dreamed of. When I finally went to college in the United States, I immediately made the varsity tennis team. Then I had the opportunity to travel up and down the East Coast and play against different universities with an amazing team.

Being a high performance student means dedicating a significant amount of time to what you do. It takes immense passion and incredible mental fortitude, whether you're a child or a teenager, to dedicate more time to work than to rest. At Conari, we strive to support our students in achieving their academic goals, resting instead of doing homework, and dedicating the majority of their time to pursuing their dreams.