As a student, where do you spend most of your waking hours? Aside from a few blissful weeks of summer vacation, chances are that the majority of your time is spent at school or doing school-related activities.
School and all that comes with it…teachers, friends, cliques, learning, social climate, extra-curricular activities, etc. are some of the most influential experiences of your life. What goes on in and around school plays a major role in how you develop during some of your most formative years. It's important to know how to handle the different and difficult facets of your school years.
School Is So Much Work!
Whether you're a straight-A student or barely scraping by, schoolwork is bound to cause you stress from time to time. According to one Stanford study, more than half of students surveyed agreed that homework was a major source of their stress.
If schoolwork has you overwhelmed, you're certainly not alone. There could be a number of reasons for this.
Some of us may feel stressed by homework simply due to the way it consumes your time. If you're a student with a number of extracurricular activities, it may be hard to find time to complete work at home. When you don't get home from a soccer tournament until 8 PM and you try to squeeze in a family dinner, rehearsing lines for the school play, and cleaning your bedroom, it can be difficult to make the decision between getting to bed at a reasonable hour and finishing those calculus problems and AP history notes.
Studies also show that perfectionism has substantially increased in recent years. This is causing a lot of undue stress as students strive to meet unrealistic expectations they are setting for themselves.
This kind of stress can be disorienting, and the overwhelming realization of all the work you have to complete can leave you paralyzed in the face of your mountain of work. When it seems impossible to get everything done, sometimes our reaction is to get nothing done.
Schoolwork may also cause stress and anxiety simply because it is difficult. Whether you're taking a challenging set of classes, you have a learning disability, or school is just something that you struggle with as a whole, school can be a source of stress if it doesn't come naturally to you.
Difficulties with schoolwork can do a real number on your self-esteem. If we're honest with ourselves, none of us likes to feel dumb. Struggling to learn material that everyone else seems to understand can bruise the ego. When schoolwork leaves us demoralized, the temptation can be to avoid it altogether.
Another reason that schoolwork may make us feel pressured might be of our own doing. When we brush work under the rug because we'd rather be doing something else, it can turn into this mountain of stress that we continually avoid. When that avoided work starts to show up as zeros on the report card, it can be demoralizing.
In each of these circumstances, it's important to allow yourself a bit of grace. Know yourself and know your capabilities. If you're doing your best, feel confident that your accomplishments are enough, even if they don't meet the impossible expectations we often set for ourselves.
At the same time, it's important to set ourselves up for success. Don't be afraid to ask for help from a teacher or seek out a tutor. They are there for a reason.
Right now is also the perfect time to begin creating habits that will point you toward success. You're much better off taking a little bit of time every day managing your schoolwork than constantly avoiding it and feeling horrible about yourself because it was left unaccomplished. Learn those positive proactive habits now to begin a life of self-discipline and success.
Physical
School pressures can lead to many unhealthy patterns that can affect your physical health such as bad sleeping habits and stress induced overeating/undereating. If pressure from school is causing you extreme stress, particularly during times like finals or sporting tournaments, headaches or digestive issues can also occur.
Emotional
Worrying about grades, peer pressure, parent pressure and the looming pressure of the future after you graduate can create instability in your emotional health. You may feel frustration when trying to navigate the overwhelming thoughts swirling in your head. This could lead to developing anxiety and depression.
Spiritual
Feeling overwhelmed with school pressures for an extended length of time can certainly deplete your spirit and cause you to have a negative view of life. Additionally, stress and worry can rob you of internal peace. It's important to care for your soul. If you've been neglecting self-care along with prayer or meditation, you will run yourself empty. This is a good time to get into a solid self-care routine, even if you feel you don't have time. Maybe ESPECIALLY if you feel you don't have time.
Article Shared From https://www.thehopeline.com/topics/school-pressures/
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