School is a place where parents send their children every year until they graduate college. Why do we go to school? My parents would always say, “if you don’t go to school, how will you get a good job or be successful?” School is not as easy as they think. It is a lot different now than it was when back then. With decent grades, students were able to get into good colleges Now, even with good grades and extracurriculars, it still wouldn’t be enough to get in. Your friends and classmates who were with you for all four years of high school will now become your competition. All this pressure can be very stressful.

“Everything will work again if you just unplug it… including you.”

Anne Lamott

Sometimes you just have to stop everything you’re doing and take some time doing things that make YOU happy. Use this time to block everything out, all your homework and tests that you might be worried about, and do something that you enjoy.

Some of the Things That Help Me Get Through Each Day/Week:

Eating Foods or Snacks – I personally love to eat a snack on anything when I get home from school. I can never focus or work when I have an empty stomach. Research shows that students are able to study better when they consume a moderate amount of food.

Take a Nap – Taking a nap helps me recharge after a long day of school. Once I wake up, I’ll be refreshed and ready to start on my homework and not get tired. I also take naps when I know I have a lot of homework that day so I have enough energy to finish it all.

Spending Time with Family – I’m really close with my family so spending time with them or just talking to them can make my day better. We all live our own lives so it’s interesting and fun to hear how their day went.

Hanging out with friends – It’s great to have friends that are always there for you. They can be supportive and helpful or just someone to talk to. You don’t even have to go somewhere to hang out. For example, I like to call with my friends while doing something or playing games together.

Reading – Reading is a great activity to do if you’re feeling stressed or having a bad day. Each book and story is different in its own way. Whether it’s the plot or characters, it can make you feel like you’re being transported into the story while reading. Though eventually, you’ll have to come back to reality.

Life may be tough and stressful but there are always things that can help you with your problems. Each person is different so try finding what you like to do and what you enjoy. There may be good days and bad ones, but now at least you’ll know what to do in order to help you stay sane.