Peaking Too Early?

Higher education, what was once considered a necessity, is now regarded as a mere side hustle in the chase for success. What unfolds when an entire generation reaches its peak during college?

By Haneen Elmeswari 

We're all well-acquainted with the familiar and repetitive pattern: attend high school, proceed to college, obtain a degree, and eventually enter the world of corporate America. But what happens when one is too eager to go through the motions?

Four agonizing years of high school education, only to be proceeded with another 4 years of high education. When one grows up dreaming of success and the future to come, it almost feels like time couldn't move any slower for them.

Following a pandemic that rocked the very foundation of how this world operates, the overachievers and workaholics had no choice but to slow down. No fashion shows to work backstage for, no events to plan, and for some it felt like no step forward.

Nevertheless, over the past year, it appears that we've re-entered a world with a semblance of normalcy, where the pace of life has accelerated once again, while people's psychological adjustment lags.

However, once an overachiever, always an overachiever, and there's simply no way you can ask one to slow down. Out of this pandemic was born a group of people who seem to have somehow taken ten steps forward, while the rest of the world took its time to rest.

These are the people who have visions for the future, an undying hunger to succeed, and a damn good work ethic. To ask them to slow down would be like asking them to move mountains, they simply won't budge.  

For Ryan Scheriff, an advertising and marketing communications student at the Fashion Institute of Technology, it's the need to stay afloat and keep treading the water of early adulthood that pushes him through long days.

Scheriff had his heart set on studying menswear design at the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising, but after unforeseen circumstances, he made the pivot into studying business at FIT instead.

It was while he was bartending at a party in the Hamptons that Scheriff met his employer, Shira Bush, and joined forces with her at her event planning business. Scheriff had always been working in the event planning industry, whether that was serving or bartending, but it was with Bush that he fully immersed himself in it.

He says, “I help her out from start point to end point.” From hiring private chefs to making sure plates are the perfect color, Scheriff makes sure that the client is always pleased.

“Our clients are a very elite Manhattan clientele,” Scheriff explains. Not only is Scheriff planning events but, he also, part-time bartends at the East Village’s Pardon My French, a Parisian-style bistro downtown, all while being a full-time student.

When asked how he fits in two jobs and being a full-time student, he sighs and says, “I’m fully financially independent so I kind of don’t have a choice,” Scheriff’s situation is not a unique one. Young New Yorkers all over the city face the same predicament. The option of prioritizing school over a career is not an option for them.

“Other people might relate to me when it comes to the stress of school, however, it's not the same when it's coming from a financial aspect. I can’t miss up on any of the calculations when figuring out how I’m going to make it work,” he says.

Although Scheriff appears to have one foot firmly in the door, collaborating closely with the owner of an event planning business, this wasn't the envisioned trajectory. Although Scheriff has a genuine passion for his work, given the chance, he would love to explore internships, many of which may be unpaid, he says, “I can’t sacrifice the time I do have to not be paid.”

This is a widespread experience among many young individuals. Even though they might appear to be ten steps ahead of their peers, creating the impression of having it all together, it's often their circumstances that propel them into these roles, restricting their freedom to explore.

For some people, it could also be their mental well-being that drives them to maintain a relentless pace. Dr. Judith Joseph, a board-certified psychiatrist and researcher, has been conducting clinical research on what is referred to as 'high-functioning depression.'

This term is used to describe individuals who cope with negative emotions by immersing themselves in work as a way to avoid their feelings. Such individuals often struggle to find joy or satisfaction in their work and may eventually lose their sense of self within it.

“People with high-functioning depression often don’t allow themselves the time to recognize any of their accomplishments,” Dr. Joseph explains. “Their mind is too set on what's next.” They appear to be extremely successful individuals, and on paper, they are, however mentally, they start to lose their identity in the process of gaining validation through their work.

Many people may be driven by the ubiquitous fear of missing out, often referred to as 'FOMO,' forcing them to persist even when their minds and bodies are in desperate need of rest. Dr. Joseph recognizes that FOMO can be a difficult thing to grapple with, but the key to overcoming it is simply acknowledging it.

She advises, “Recognize your pain, and the rejection of missing out, and then tell yourself “I recognize that I feel upset from missing out on that opportunity, but there is plenty of success to go around and there is space for me.”

For those who are doing well financially and maintain a healthy mental state, what motivates them to continue working? And for those individuals who appear to have achieved their dreams at a young age, what propels them to keep moving forward?

Polina Nioly Pushkareva, 26 and CEO of Nioly Media Group and influencer, feels like she has not attained true success. Despite founding a digital marketing agency with over 100 employees, amassing over 1.5 million followers on Instagram, and accumulating a net worth of over 8 million, she still feels as though she has only scratched the surface.

“I know what I want to do with life and I’m not there yet, probably only 2%,” she expresses while seated in the lounge of her apartment building, where she resides in a $4 million condo in Manhattan's Financial District.

Pushkareva's early life in impoverished Russia, marked by food scarcity, motivated her success. While scrolling through social media, she witnessed a Russian influencer's extravagant spending on a Dior ski suit. This stark contrast between Pushkareva’s poverty and the influencer's wealth frustrated Pushkareva, raising questions about her struggles.

Motivated by this, Pushkareva delved into social media. She quickly secured her first client, helping them enhance their online presence while still in Russia. Later, she moved to the United States, where she established her business.

Despite all her achievements, Pushkarava has no plans to decelerate. She understands the logic in someone pausing to appreciate their past accomplishments, yet she is equally aware of her untapped potential.

She says, “It's healthy to focus on that (potential) to succeed, and when people get too into their head, that’s when they get entitled.” She believes anyone can achieve what she has, they are just trying too hard. She says, “The problem people have is that they are overcomplicating success. There’s no limits to the system (social media) if you can figure it out, and it's very easy to figure out.” 

When asked what her ultimate dream was she said she aspires to be the female Richard Bansen, the British business magnate and founder of Virgin Group. “I want to see the name Noily plastered on restaurants, shops, and airplanes.”

Emerging from a pandemic that disrupted the relentless pace of overachievers, they now grapple with the challenge of maintaining this accelerated rhythm as we return to normalcy. Many young individuals believe they have more to achieve and are breaking away from traditional paths to pursue their dreams, reshaping the definition of success.

Whether they're creating generational wealth or fully committed to their careers, they are treating college as a mere "side gig,” creating a generation that is reshaping the conventional definition of success.