Bursting into tears during my B period Spycraft class, I rushed out of the classroom awkwardly, leaving my peers’ empathizing looks behind. A stream of tears dripped down my chin like a sad river, but the embarrassment and concern that burned inside of me was not negligible: I had already wept my eyes out for another three times before finally breaking down during class.
Senior year hit me hard like a train. For me, being mentally prepared ironically did little when loads of college emails, application deadlines and essays pour into my to-do list like an avalanche—not to mention the anxiety that also comes along with it.
As a matter of fact, I am not the only one who’s stressed out. While seniors struggle with their college anxieties, juniors are caught in a huge fix by the JRP. But while complaints about these inevitable academic challenges are not uncommon in the hallways, they are rarely resolved. We can’t attempt to run from the fact that school stress and college pressures are compromising our girls’ confidence, but what we can do is to try to resolve them in practical ways.
Release Your Stress. One of the best things about our school is that we are all going through the same things. Keep in mind that everyone has similar stressors, and I doubt that people are going to judge someone for something they share in common. Get together with friends and don’t be shy to borrow their shoulders; it’s always better to let the stress out than to let them sit on top of your mind.
Don’t Be Afraid of Compliments. Can you imagine the astonishing amount of efforts required to maintain a good GPA while participating in sports, practicing music instruments or preparing for the Fall Play? Confidence flows between individuals, and encouraging words can indeed make a difference. Give your friend a pat on the back when she gets that AP Calculus test back and don’t forget to ask for a supportive hug after handing in your JRP mini draft!
Utilize Pieces of Time. Take a few more glances at the English vocabulary quiz while waiting in the lunch line, or finish another round of Quizlet practice before school starts. Small clips of time can add up to big help.
Take a Short break When You Need To. Although power-naps can be difficult for people who can’t fall asleep anytime at anywhere they want, closing your eyes while listening to a calming playlist is still a better way to spend 10 minutes than staring into your laptop screen and procrastinating.
Bring Your Favorite Drink to School. This method works incredibly well for the coffee or tea lovers – what’s better than a cup of Caramel Macchiato in your early A period English class? In addition to caffeine’s physical satisfaction, taking sips from your favorite drink will trick your brain into feeling content for these small rewards.
Lastly, Always Take a Minute to Admire What You’ve Accomplished. The weight of the stress is heavy, and the road ahead is long. But if you don’t turn around and gaze back into the distance, you will miss the splendid panorama behind.
Story by Emily Wu, Views Editor
Photo courtesy of Flickr
