Managing Your Academic Stresses

By Japji

Stress in high school is something that any student can feel, regardless of whether they are a freshman or a senior. As a matter of fact, stress is something anyone can go through; it's the human mind's natural response to either temporarily or constantly being faced with situations that they find difficult. This can seriously affect a person's regular behaviour or introduce new habits that aren't exactly beneficial to their body, which is why managing stress, especially while still young, is crucial.

High school is certainly a lot, from the homework piling up at home to the various tests you have to study for. There is pressure, extracurricular activities, and, not to mention, needing some free time for yourself! Oftentimes, this can lead to stress; however, fear not, everything is manageable, so that you can complete everything in time, regardless of how challenging it may seem, and also have time to go out with friends or just relax and take time for yourself!

General high school-related stress can be broken down into three categories: homework, grades and extra activities (such as extracurriculars or clubs). Students stress from homework because it's either too hard or takes up too much time, they stress from grades because everyone has personal goals that they want to meet and not meeting them can cause lots of worry, some more than others, and extra activities generally lead to burnout. 

To prevent this stress from increasing and to completely get rid of it, you should schedule your days. Use Google Docs, Google Sheets, Google Calendar, or Notion to schedule a day or week in your life. Dedicate certain times to certain subjects, depending on when they are due, and follow them strictly. Ensure consistent breaks with no technology, as it can serve as a strong distraction. During these breaks, go for a brisk walk, grab a snack, meditate or utilise that time to organise your room, or put away your laundry. By following this mindset to remain productive and following a strict schedule, you will also remain motivated and get your homework done with more efficiency. You can also place reminders on your phone! Remember, you don't have to do everything in one day! To ensure you also understand what you're learning and get the final grade you aim for, dedicate an hour or two on your less-content-heavy days to re-reading lesson notes, doing practice questions and using online resources such as Khan Academy to help further broaden your understanding. Remember to ask for help from teachers and friends if needed; never shy away because your teachers teach for a reason! Finally, make sure to give yourself time, read a book, play an instrument, do your skincare, go out with friends and try something new. 

As a freshman in high school, I greatly underestimated how hard it would be! I was constantly procrastinating and had no time management skills at all because middle school had been pretty easy for me. I was also always stressing about joining the right clubs, and making the best portfolio and getting grades higher than ever before and managing a million different hobbies like playing my guitar, reading, and writing for fun, not to mention the hundreds of newer hobbies I wanted to try! Everything seemed so hard, and it seemed like too much for me! I wanted to learn how to code because I had joined a coding club and was bad at it. I wanted to better my understanding of political news and how the stock market works. I wanted to educate myself on so many other areas to the point it became unrealistically extensive. 

To manage, I created a priority list. This is a list of everything I want to accomplish this academic school year. Think of it like New Year's resolutions. I wrote what I needed to prioritise first, what my goal grades were, what I needed to do every day, what I had to do every other day, what new things I was looking into, and how much time I would spend on certain clubs a week. After creating this list, I would always refer back to it, and it really allowed me to stay on track and schedule accordingly. 

In essence, regardless of how hard your life may be, it’s always important to remember that there is always a solution, sometimes you need to plan that solution out, sometimes you need to put in more effort or sometimes, you just need to take a break. Look for what works for you best and don’t be afraid to try new things because that will help you advance in whatever way is meant to be for you. Follow your own passion and it will lead to your purpose.