see also post on “when to get really serious”

As I told many friends, academic benchmark pressure (including streaming in schools) is widespread, prolonged, almost unbounded and truly harmful, whereas the CCA pressure will never kill us – piano, swimming, 认字 … The latter comes with pressure relief valves. See also https://btv-gz.dreamhosters.com/2014/09/20/hobbies-generating-positive-stress-le2-amina/

Benchmark pressure is created by schools, teachers, neighbors, other students (in other schools or in other grades), and the society at large.