The stress around the end of the first semester can be very overwhelming. Juniors are in arguably the most stressful year of high school and seniors are getting all their grades in for their college transcripts. The stress can be unbearable, but there are ways to cope with all of it.
School Counselors
Your school counselors can be a great resource! If you haven’t done so already, you should reach out and contact your counselor to meet with them. School counselors are the perfect resource for Senior final grade stress, and also winter SAT/ACT testing.
College Advisor
Our school has a college advisor, Ms. Gregory, who helps with ANY post-high school plans. She can help ease your worries about any post-graduation plans and it’s a good idea to start meeting with her junior year so you can begin thinking about what you want to do after high school. If you want to go into the workforce, post-high school education, or military, among other options, Ms. Gregory can help. Ms. Gregory can also advise you through recommended classes to take and for those who plan to attend college, and she can guide you through SAT/ACT and other test planning.
Finding Someone With Mutual Struggles
Depending on your situation, it may be helpful to talk to someone who might be going through similar challenges. Whether you are struggling with school work, submitting college applications, or having personal issues, talking with someone who is going through the same things as you can ease your feelings about something, or having satisfaction of feeling heard. Talking to someone you feel safe and comfortable with can also relieve some tension.
Writing It Down
Journaling has become a fast-growing trend to help with stress management. You can write in a journal like a diary and let all those feelings out. One recommendation from psychologists is to write down what you are feeling, and then, in the next few days or weeks, review your thoughts and regroup. Both talking and writing are both good ways to relieve stress.
Time Management
Time management has been proven to relieve stress. Time management can just be balancing school ,work responsibilities, and home life. There needs to be a separation between the two, if there isn’t, you can start to think about the problems at school/work and it can be a burden. This fix could be as little as making sure you do homework outside of your bedroom, separating a comfortable space from stressful work, and easing the mind. This can also be something like using a planner or an online planner. Knowing exactly what you have to do, and when to do it, can be helpful for many people.
Self-Care
Self-care is the most important thing in any person’s life. Everyone should make sure they are taking care of themselves. Activities like journaling (mentioned earlier) are a common part of self-care but also assuring you are being healthy. Exercising and eating well are important. When you don’t, it can negatively affect how you feel, even if you don’t notice it right away. Keeping track of your mental health is also a big part of self-care. There are apps now that you can use to keep track of tasks, how you are feeling and what’s going on in your life. One example is Finch, an app where you can track journaling/reflection entries and how you feel by checking into the app throughout the day.
Although this time of year can be stressful, it doesn’t have to be. Using these methods can help ease the stress and help you get through the work, applications, etc. Above all, make sure to take care of yourself; You are important and you need to take good care of yourself so you can feel good. Good luck, upperclassmen!
