Over the past decade, there has been considerable attention given to college students' experience of pressure to pursue perfection through hyper-achievement and the psychological and emotional toll this process takes on them. The popular press has highlighted this phenomenon and raised specific questions about some of the related consequences like the need for more mental health services on college campuses, the increased risk of substance abuse problems, and the increased risk of suicide among students. This attention raises questions about how we develop and reinforce the desired academic skills in students without risking the many potential negative psychological and emotional consequences. This article examines these dynamics and describes the SAVES model of resilience cultivation as an anecdote to hyper-achievement and perfection. This model is an acronym that stands for the following: S--Social connectedness, A--Attitude, V--Values, E--Emotional acceptance, S--Silliness/humor.