Being a high school student can undoubtedly and very easily become overwhelming and stressful. Keeping up with 7-10 classes (AP and IB especially), extracurriculars, relationships, family, sports, events, social aspects, college, passions, and more can become a major burden and cause extreme stress and anxiety. The pressure of all these aspects brings out respective emotions and experiences.
Simply being a teenager is stressful and demanding. Everyone experiences stress and anxiety in high school for many different reasons, but I’d like to discuss some ways and tips that truly aid in calming these emotions down. As Harvard University conducted an experiment they explained, “About 43 percent of teens surveyed in 2020 said their stress levels had gone up, and 45 percent said they had a hard time concentrating on schoolwork. Many reported feeling less motivated” (Harvard University). One of the topics to acknowledge first is the symptoms of stress and anxiety. These include but are not limited to, getting sick more often, skipping meals or not eating enough, sleeping too much or not enough, and being irritated or annoyed very easily and constantly.
Also according to Harvard University, “According to the APA 2017 survey, the most common symptoms of stress among teens were insomnia, overeating or eating unhealthy foods, skipping meals, feeling angry, nervous, or anxious, feeling fatigued, and snapping at friends and classmates” (Harvard University). Your body's flight or fight response, especially when you're anxious, might limit your potential. One piece of advice is to discuss openly and honestly your circumstances and what makes you anxious and stressed out with someone you can trust. You'll see the difference it makes if you give it a shot, even though it may not seem particularly useful or cliche. Planning and journaling is another suggestion. Not only should you write down what's on your mind in a notebook, but you should also strive to schedule your priorities so that they aren't as overwhelming and stressful-inducing. This will help greatly reduce anxiety and stress. It organizes a block in your mind that has become too cluttered with everything that needs to be done.
In addition, ensuring that your body is getting the right nutrients and following a balanced diet will help you feel energized and develop good habits. Another very helpful tip is to make time to relax and have fun. It has been shown time and time again that constant work and stress lead to excessive burnout. Making time for yourself and truly enjoying life is unimaginably important for mental health and a healthy lifestyle. Overall, high school is stressful and anxiety-provoking, but if you make a daily effort to make small changes to your lifestyle and health, you will be able to lessen these feelings and feel happier and more content.
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