To be perfect : A qualitative interview study of young women’s stories about their accomplishments and mental health in upper secondary school

To be perfect is a study about the experiences among young women in upper secondary school about how they see themselves as student vis-a-vis their mental health. These experiences are analysed from a school sanctioned femininity, which intend to expose how the structures of school affects the young women. This femininity is based on the concept of “how to be” a young woman, which the school both encourage and support. With a qualitative interview study the following experiences of the young women are examined: Their view at the role of the school, how they view themselves as students and how the school affects them. The material is analysed through a phenomenological research approach to illustrate the essence of the phenomenon. The study shows us that the school which is an important part in the respondents’ lives, also entails stress to the young women according to themselves. The stress, which in some cases leads to anxiety, is based on the high demands and high expectations the young women experience. These demands and expectations are based on their own pressure within, but also based on what others demand and expects from them. This means that both the respondents themselves and teachers and other students sees them as” good students”. To be a good student is a role which affects the young women to behave in a certain way, where perfection is the main purpose to achieve. This perfection is based on behavior and how you perform good grades in school, and can be linked to how it is to be a young woman in upper secondary school. Thus, the young woman has an ideal which she has to follow to “succeed” in school, and to be seen as the good student.