Identify reasons why Grade 12 learners may feel overwhelmed balancing social lives and academic priorities

On this page, we help students to answer the following question: “Identify reasons why Grade 12 learners may feel overwhelmed balancing social lives and academic priorities.” This is a key topic in Life Orientation Grade 12, as learners navigate the intense pressure of their final school year.

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Quick Answer

Why Matriculants Feel Overwhelmed:

• The “Exit Grade” Pressure: High stakes of the NSC examinations leave little time for relaxation.
• Fear of Missing Out (FOMO): The desire to maintainsocial relationshipsduring the “last year of school” conflicts with study needs.
• High Expectations: Pressure from parents and teachers to meetuniversity admission requirements.
• Poor Time Management: Failing to use a timetable leads to last-minute panic andexcessive stress.

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The Struggle to Balance Social and Academic Life

In the South African Life Orientation curriculum, the “Development of the Self in Society” module explores how external pressures impact a learner’s well-being. Balancing a social life with academic priorities is a major social stressor.

1. The Volume of the CAPS Curriculum

The Grade 12 year is shorter than other years, yet it contains a massive amount of content that must be mastered for the finals.

• The Reason: Learners often feel that every hour spent with friends is an hour lost for active recall or spaced repetition.
• The Impact: This creates intrapersonal conflict, where the learner feels guilty regardless of whether they are studying or socialising.

2. Peer Pressure and Social Expectations

As it is the final year of high school, there is often an increase in social events, such as matric dances, “40 Days” celebrations, and sporting events.

• The Reason: Peer pressure can make it difficult for a learner to say “no” to social gatherings.
• The Impact: Choosing socialising over academic priorities leads to a backlog of work, pushing the learner into the Exhaustion Stage of the General Adaptation Syndrome.

3. Complex Future Planning

Matriculants aren’t just studying; they are also researching funding options and university accommodation.

• The Reason: This administrative burden adds another layer of work on top of school and social life.
• The Impact: The stress and uncertainty of the future makes even small social conflicts feel like an unsettled conflict that is impossible to manage.

4. Digital Distractions and Social Media

While social media is a tool for effective communication, it is also a major source of distraction.

• The Reason: Constant notifications create an environmental stressor that breaks concentration.
• The Impact: Learners spend hours scrolling, which eats into their study time, leading to panic when they realise how little they have prepared for the NSC examinations.

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Strategies to Regain Balance

To prevent burnout, learners should monitor their progress and use stress management techniques like:

1. Prioritising Tasks: Using the Eisenhower Matrix to separate “Urgent” study tasks from “Non-urgent” social ones.
2. Constructive Conflict Resolution: Talking to friends and family about the need for study boundaries to avoid detrimental relationships.
3. Scheduled Social Time: Treating socialising as a reward for completed academic goals.

Reference for Students:

• Subject: Life Orientation Grade 12
• Source: My Courses LO Task Guide
• Topic: Development of the self in society – Balancing life and priorities.