A 10-year-old girl recently shared her worries about the heavy workload in her middle school, including carrying a heavy backpack, completing endless homework, and managing tight schedules. She mentioned that the pressure has grown since starting sixth grade in September. This is not a new concern, as older students have also expressed similar frustrations. The issue of excessive work in secondary education has become a key point in recent student demands, with sociologists noting that this "feeling of overload" is part of a broader context of increased academic competition. According to a group of sociologists writing in Le Monde on October 5, the academic environment has become more competitive, often described as "everybody against everybody," which creates a stressful atmosphere for students. Sociologists like Valérie Cohen and Alex Alber observe that secondary education is increasingly judged by results, which they say takes away part of the meaning of school work. This approach reflects the historical practice of the republican school system, which used effort as a way to select students, leaving some behind. Recent reforms, such as the Parcoursup platform, have placed more responsibility on students to shape their futures, positioning them as entrepreneurs and competitors in the job market. With concerns over climate-related challenges, adolescents are questioning their future prospects. Sociologist Camille Peugny, in her book Une jeunesse sacrifiée (2021), talks about a divide between students who succeed in rankings and those who are left behind in the academic competition. Despite the diploma's decreasing value, it still plays a crucial role in protecting against unemployment and financial instability. Sociologist Florence Ihaddadene, in Promesse d'embauche (2025), discusses initiatives aimed at helping young people find purpose in their activities, such as civil service, volunteering, and universal national service (SNU). However, she argues that these initiatives do not solve the deeper problems faced by adolescents and young adults, who feel the future lacks meaning. Instead, they function as part of the competitive system, with volunteer experiences becoming valuable lines on a CV. Ihaddadene introduces the concept of "hope labor," which describes free or low-cost vocational work done while waiting for employment. She sees this as a "policy of waiting, availability, and competition," which may help young people in the short term but governs them in the long term. She criticizes these initiatives for possibly normalizing poor working conditions, such as the stipend for volunteers in civil service, which ranges between 620 euros and 735 euros for a weekly time commitment of 24 to 35 hours. This can be seen as a prelude to the acceptance of poorly paid jobs in the working world. While these initiatives may give young people a sense of control, they also contribute to an ultra-competitive job market, mirroring the pressures of secondary education. At a time when their identities are forming and their desires are evolving, the focus on "perpetual employability" is increasingly alienating. This concept, introduced by philosopher André Gorz in Misères du présent, richesse du possible (1997), refers to the need to constantly sell oneself on the job market, where skills, relationships, and hobbies are seen mainly as tools to remain an attractive product in a competitive environment. French youth seem to be growing more disillusioned with this perspective.