How to Handle The Stress of High School

It is hard for more than a couple of people to agree on something, but one thing I’m sure most of us find some truth in is that high school is very, very stressful. Even for different students--one might be an athlete pursuing dreams of playing for a Division I team, another might be someone with very strong academics, trying their best to get into their dream school--high school is a place where everyone has way too much to do with not nearly enough time to do it.

Even if we just consider schoolwork, most high school students have multiple hours of school-related work to complete after school, every day. Paired with sports, extracurriculars, and time spent with friends and family, most students find that their free time ends once high school begins. So, how are we supposed to deal with this stress? How is it possible to do everything that needs to be done and still eat right, exercise, and get enough sleep?

One skill that everyone must learn in high school is time management. Some students find it difficult to complete one or two assignments after school, whereas others complete four to five assignments every day and still have time for themselves. The simple answer to this puzzling scenario is time management. Spending the right amount of time on each piece of homework, while doing it at the right time of day, is key to succeeding in the frantic mess that can be high school.

Some strategies for time management could be to make a to-do list, or even a schedule for after school. Plan when you are going to go to practice, complete each assignment, eat dinner, and go to bed. Having a plan for when you will complete each thing you have to complete after school is the first step to ensuring the organizational aspect of being successful in high school.

Another simple, yet effective strategy is to do all the easy homework first. Most students will come home with homework for multiple classes and rush right into the most difficult of them all. Three hours later, they realize they have made no progress, and are even more stressed out with the weight of the other incomplete assignments pushing down on them. Completing the easy homework clears your mind and also your schedule, allowing you to better focus on the difficult homework and forcing yourself to complete it in a shorter time span.

Finally, pay attention to what your body needs. Countless scientific studies have told us that the body and the mind work better when one is getting a consistent amount of physical exercise and eating well. Paying attention to your physical needs can have the inverse effect of improving your mental health and ability.

• James S., 11th Grade