Do you feel young people cannot make the mistakes previous generations made and still be able to finish an education, find a career,

Well I don't know about where you are but it IS a lot more difficult now to succeed without qualifications and exams now.. I have often joked that you need a degree to clean the toilets/washroom now.. and to a large extent, currently, that is true.. It's no longer good enough to show enthusiasm and commitment - you need qualifications in the specific area you are looking for a job in.. or failing that a whole heap of specifically relevant experience.. or else forget it.. 

So there is a lot of pressure on young people now.. and it DOES show.. for instance even between my older kids taking their GCSEs and my daughter who is now taking them.. With my sons they were left to just get on with it.. but with daughter's generation they have endless revision sessions, whole day immersion sessions, mountains of revision materials... etc.. Exam results count.. not only to the individual but to the school/college etc.. 

It seems everything now is about grades and exams, so yea no goofing off.. 

If it helps I have told my daughter to just do her best and that she won't die if she doesn't pass her exams..  however, in saying that she WOULD need to find another way to get those qualifications or she will be prohibited from college courses, uni and many jobs.. 

I think today's youth don't have the large amount of opportunities that we had after WWII.  There are more people trying to find jobs in a shrinking market, so employers have the luxury of wanting the most well educated candidates they can find. 

everyone makes mistakes