<p>I'm a current junior living in a house that is very academically-inclined. That's not necessarily to say that my family is abnormally intellectual-- I am instead referring to the priorities of my parents and I. All my life I have felt supported in all my academic endeavors, but my dad is a worrier, and the pressure he has put on me as I grow into a young adult preparing for college has gotten to be just too much for me to handle. He loves to control; he can't stand watching me do anything but homework for fear that I may "fall behind in my studies" or something like that. </p>
<p>It seems like the more he tells me to go "study" or "work", the less I want to do it. He told me constantly to study for the ACT, but because of his pressure (and my lack of time), I didn't, and ended up with an almost perfect score anyways. Though he often expresses his pride in me for the amount of hard work I do, I often feels as though what I do is never enough. I know that he is trying to live vicariously through me; he turned down the chance to go to a very prestigious school in order to have a "good time" in college, and now he wants to see me go to an ivy league so that I may fulfill his dream for him. My problem is that I want to go to the same very good schools, too, but for myself, not for him.</p>
<p>I guess what I'm getting at, after all of that, is this: How do I accomplish my goals (and make him happy as a parent) without exploding from pressure or getting angry with his constant prodding? Is there a good way to respond to his incessant nudges? Sometimes all a kid wants to do is come home and relax, but such frivolous pursuits are, to him, unacceptable. I'm burning out, and I want to be able to know that I'm doing all of this for myself, instead of in hopes of pleasing him. I'm an extremely self motivated, high-achieving person cracking under the pressure of my own family.</p>
<p>Any input would be greatly appreciated!</p>