The loneliest year of my life looked fine from the outside.

I'm one of those kids for whom work and school has typically come easy. Still, when I went away to more challenging boarding school for high school, my freshman year became the loneliest, hardest year of my life. I was in a new place, new people, new expectations and away from home and everything that was familiar. The first risk I took, taking accelerated Greek, was a spectacular mess and I nearly failed the course. Friend groups seemed to be forming quickly, and I was certain I had missed the boat. The dining hall terrified me so much that I largely ate in my room, living on granola bars and takeout. I struggled to share any of this with anyone. Everything was hard, and I became Will, the kid who doesn't say much. The funny thing about loneliness and pain is that it hurts so much that eventually you can't hold it in anymore, and when you let it out, you suddenly feel so much better you can't believe you waited so long. I hit a total low, opened up to a small group of friends who knew, "Will-who-doesn't-say-much," and suddenly realized I wasn't alone. I also realized that people liked the real me, not the stoic avatar I was sending out in front of me. I did a lot of work on understanding sadness, anxiety, loneliness and pressure. I reflected on the beliefs that were driving me – some conscious, some unconscious. I tried new things, and learned what worked and didn't work for me (talking about it, running and team sports are great for me, proving myself, competing and trying to impress people isn't great for me). I also realized that I never wanted anyone – my siblings, my friends, anyone – to feel like they had to sacrifice their sanity and wellbeing for success. This, the Beyond Achievement Project, is my attempt to build the conversation around improving mental health for high achieving kids.

I'm not unusual.

I am an 18 year old guy who has dealt with loneliness, anxiety and depression despite external signs of achievement and success. The Beyond Achievement Project is my attempt to build the conversation around mental health, loneliness, achievement culture, and wellbeing – particularly for high-performing people whose struggles are masked by success. Through research, interviews, storytelling, and resources, the project hopes to encourage more honest conversations, reduce stigma around emotional vulnerability, and help students, parents, educators, and coaches better recognize and support the unique emotional challenges many high achieving students quietly carry.

Where this started

This project grew out of a research paper — Pressure and Privilege: Tracing the History of Mental Healthcare at Phillips Academy — written in the spring of 2025. It traces 75 years of mental health policy and student experience at one of the country's most demanding secondary schools, and makes the case that the language around mental health has grown more sophisticated while the structural conditions generating distress have remained largely unchanged.

The paper draws on archival sources, student letters and diaries, oral histories, counselor interviews, and annual student surveys.

Available on request — will@beyond-achievement.com

Questions, ideas, or just to say hello.

If you have questions about the project, want to share your own story, or are interested in bringing these conversations to your school or community — reach out. There's no form, no auto-reply. Just an email address.