I felt invincible walking into school on August 27 with my hot pink shirt, boa, whistle and crown. I was a senior girl ready to take on the world. My mood was excited and stress-free.
And it was killed within ten minutes.
I discover, from friends and teachers, that in total I have one project, one graded class discussion, two assignments and three tests, all due within the next five school days. That was not an exaggeration. You can check my planner.
Now instead of walking through the halls with a proud grin on my face, having made it through three years of high school, I find myself stomping through them, scowling at all freshmen who pass, knowing their homework assignments for tonight are to get a biology lab safety sheet signed and buy a TI-84. I see many of my fellow students react the same way and I can feel the happy aura quickly dwindling.
But I have a message for all: We can’t give up.
Don’t let all of these assignments get to you. An article from NBC News states that academics are the main cause of stress in teenagers. It’s not just you who gets nauseous at the sight of a new blackboard (or now schoology) post. Take a few deep breaths and clear your crowded brain.
While it’s true that with each grade comes more advanced classes and as a result, a heavier workload, sometimes the amount of work seems dubious and unreasonable. After three years at Staples, I have concluded that this insane workload, piled in the first few weeks of school, is simply a scare tactic.
Your teachers are testing you. They want to see if you can truly make it through their hardest tests and most difficult assignments. Can you really handle their classes?
Yes.
Use your beginning of the year excitement to power you through these first few weeks. You have awesome new school supplies (I know I’m not the only one who gets excited about fun colored notebooks) and a well-rested brain.
That first test or assignment is going to be difficult. You probably won’t ace it. Don’t get discouraged. Go in for extra help and show that you’re not going to give up on this seemingly impossible class.
And most importantly, don’t let any of this hard work stress you out. An article by MindBodyGreen, which studied the effects of stress on students, states that stress can cause anything from back pain and headaches to insomnia and heart disease. That A.P Gov. test is not worth a failing heart.
Once you make it through these weeks, you will be rewarded. Your teachers will realize that you are actually a hard worker. You care about their class and want to do well. They’ll ease up on you.
Until then, stay strong and unafraid. A few little assignments don’t scare you!
Right…?
