Have there been times where you’ve felt as if every week is packed with things to do, and you never have time to rest? Are you counting down the days, or even years, left until graduation? With the rigorous courses at AHS also comes the concern for mental health. Stress and anxiety can be extremely detrimental to one’s well-being, so it is important to know how to take care of yourself amidst all these pressures.

First of all, what causes anxiety in students in the first place? Upcoming tests, an overload of homework, and rigorous classes can all contribute to the overwhelming stress that students often feel. These causes may also be responsible for a bad sleep schedule, further adding on to the burden of going to school. However, there are many solutions that allow you to relax. Here are some techniques that can be used for self-care.

Learn to change your thinking: All stress starts with stressful thinking. When you start worrying about your test the next day, your mind provides reasons for how your fears may turn into reality, thus preventing you from reaching the goals you originally had in mind. Susan Stiffelman, a psychotherapist who has helped countless teens cope with academic stress, states, “You cannot get stressed out unless you believe your thoughts.” She recommends thinking of concrete ways to combat stressful thoughts. For example, think about ways you can prepare yourself for that test instead of worrying about getting a bad grade.

Lower your goals: No, lowering your goals/standards does not make you a slacker, nor does it make you a failure. Students too often overload themselves with schoolwork and activities, thinking that doing this will be the only way that they’ll get into a good college. However, this can cause a lot of unnecessary burdens that they don’t have to experience if they realized their limits at the start. Instead of setting your goal to get a perfect score, set another one instead that you will be satisfied with and be able to achieve in the first place. As the saying goes, “Lower your goals, you’ll achieve more.”

Exercise: One of the healthiest ways to blow off steam is to get a regular exercise regimen going. There are many different ways you can work exercise into your daily life. For example, you can do yoga in the morning, or simply walk more, whether it be to school or anywhere from it. Don’t have time? That can hardly be considered an excuse. Most of the time, you’ll be feeling even more refreshed after exercising, boosting your efficiency rather than wasting your time.

Get enough sleep: Many students suffer from sleep-deprivation, which often affects their performance. Not only will you have more trouble remembering and learning new things at school, but you can also be more prone to feeling stressed when sleep-deprived. It is of the utmost importance to get enough sleep by staying on track and organized throughout the day, which does take a lot of effort to do. Since sleep deprivation is common, it is inevitable that you will have to go against the grain to protect your sleep schedule. Your body and mind will thank you in the future.

With the prevalence of stress and anxiety in students growing by the day, it is very necessary to take the time to relax and free yourself from the burden of school. The tips mentioned above are only a few ways you can care for yourself. But at the end of the day, it is you who must create a routine that helps you cope with the stress and anxiety that comes with school so that you can lead a healthy and happy life.

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