Attending school and managing schoolwork can be a tough and, at times, an overwhelming experience for some students. The workload can become significantly more demanding as you progress through the grades, and you might not be able to connect with classmates. You could lose more “me-time” and find things that you used to like become boring. It’s tough, and ultimately, these negative things can lead to a lot of stress and anxiety. 

While school is ordinarily challenging, it can reach a point where it becomes too much for a student to handle. According to studies from The American Institute of Stress, “75% of high school students report experiencing boredom, anger, sadness, fear, or stress.” These feelings and emotions are common, but by being self-aware of these pressures and working towards reconstructing your mental health, positive and significant changes will occur to help you strive for happiness and success. Learning to properly manage burdens, whether it be in school or outside, will benefit you for your well-being in the long run.

Some students do not get stressed and may ponder how stress arises from school. Envision this: from the perspective of a student, you have a project to do alongside after-school activities, homework from other subjects, and a job if you’re a working high schooler. This project is significant to your grade, so messing up or completing it carelessly may not be acceptable. You may decide to get the other important things out of the way, but what about the most significant part of the schedule? How will you begin this project, which is due soon?

For most students, when they see something confusing and too complicated, some can get devastated and decide to work on the assignment later. This procrastination will help get you nowhere. However, some may stick to the project and stare at a blank paper or screen, overwhelming their minds with plenty of answers, questions, and ideas while not grasping the objective or the knowledge of what is to be learned. Though you are doing something, this still does not accomplish anything to some and only leaves some individuals more confused than before. Questions such as: ‘How can I get this done?’, ‘What about this other thing I had to do?’, ‘How long will this take?’, ‘Is this even correct?’, etc., can play a crucial role in overwhelming an individual and potentially making them prone to developing anxiety.

Anxiety can come in various ways. As stated previously, the concern about schoolwork can develop from stress into anxiety. Staying around seven hours in school only to return home and do more work can be unbearable to some. Not understanding concepts can be much more detrimental, too. Adults also play a crucial role in a student’s academic development. Sometimes, when parents or teachers can be unduly demanding of their children’s or students’ academics, it can be too much for the student, hence stressing them out and potentially leading to anxiety.

Even when parents and teachers do not demand much from their students, it can harm students as it gives the impression that they have no one to rely on for assistance or honor for their achievements. Per braintrusttutors.com, some vital sources of anxiety, whether it be academically or socially, can be public speaking, trying to fit in with a crowd, unstructured group work, and bullying. Along with that, negative statements can appear in someone’s mind, such as ‘I have to do better,’ ‘I’m not good enough,’ and ‘I can’t do this’ can appear.

So, stress can pop up predominantly through schoolwork, and anxiety can materialize in the community as a result of the stress. The big question, however, is: with all of these harmful feelings, how does one cope?

Introspection:

Introspection examines one’s emotional and mental state after an event and can be helpful for some students to manage stress and cope with anxiety. According to Study.com, Kelly Carroll writes, “Introspection examples include mindfulness, journaling, meditation, and self-monitoring.” This can be an excellent way to be aware of yourself, identify your emotional state, and figure out how to improve later. Most therapists use this as a tactic for counseling, but it can also allow people who aren’t ready to talk to someone yet to reflect, act, and potentially improve.

Managing your time:

School can get in the way of things, and there are times when there is so much that you don’t get enough time to do the things you like, such as playing video games, playing sports, hanging out with friends after school, etc. By managing your time, you can save some more leisure time. For some, starting homework as soon as they get home from school can be helpful, as they don’t need to do as much as they would have if they started that night. If you don’t have much homework, you can simply power through that and enjoy the rest of the day. But let’s say you have a ton of homework with a few extra due in a few days or so. Some people might take a hit at each assignment and begin working. However, it’s best to work on what is due soon rather than starting something due next week. 

Chunk your time, and have a designated time for each homework assignment. For example, you could do Math at 5 PM and start English at around 6 PM. It can save you from some stress. You should also work around thirty minutes to an hour on one subject daily. If you’re an Honors or AP student, you may have to work a bit longer, around thirty minutes to two hours. Working too little can be not as efficient, and too much can be harmful. 

Most teachers will also say that if you realize you’re working too much, just put your pencil down and email the teacher for any arrangements. If you were given enough time to do the assignment and decided to email the teacher the day before the due date, you may not be as successful in getting an arrangement. It’s beneficial to avoid doing this!

Getting organized:

Staying organized with everything is a vital role in school. You could be the most organized person in your school, but there will always be a time when you will be overwhelmed and lose your train of thought. That’s perfectly okay. What’s not okay is staying like that and gradually getting worse.

Try organizing your papers using a specific color for each class. Rather than having one giant folder, binder, or notebook for all your classes, it’s best to separate your classes so that you don’t have to look for everything in one place. If you’re stuck on staying organized with note-taking, try adding color to your notes. You can highlight the title of your notes in blue, highlight words you are unfamiliar with in orange, and underline words you don’t know in green. This is an example of a system that can make things easier. Instead of looking for something with just gray text, you can use the colors to navigate your way through your notes. 

You can also use platforms like Google and YouTube to find organization tips. There are plenty of ideas that you can use. Look around a little bit and see what works for you. You will indeed find something, and it will be something that benefits you in the long run.

Talking to a trusted person:

Someone may be ready to talk about their frenzy of feelings, emotions, and stress related to everything happening in school. Speaking to someone you trust a lot is essential. It could be your parents, a best friend, a teacher you connect with, or anyone you believe is trustworthy enough to help you out in a situation of melancholy and help get you back on track in school or life.

Reach for professional help:

If the other strategies listed do not work, the best way is to seek professional help. There are plenty of free resources to get professional help. Some people also have free insurance to cover mental health assistance. But overall, you will receive information and tips from someone willing to help. You can ask guidance counselors if they have any information on which counseling centers are available.

School will not be smooth sailing. Obstacles in your journey may disorient you. Most students are fighting the same battle you might struggle with. You may find someone else encountering the same issue and work together to resolve the issue. Ultimately, the only way you will improve is if you act. With enough drive, resilience, and determination, you will be able to overcome the anxiety and stress facing you. There is no need to fret; things will get easier if you work towards reconstruction. You’ve got this!