We all know that school can be extremely stressful. The grades, the teachers, the drama, imagine all of that and a couple of hundred teenagers thrown together, not a good combo right? But the truth is it is completely normal, we all stress before tests, getting our homework done on time, and our friends. Middle school and high school are often the worst and most stressful times of everybody’s lives. You are not alone. So here are some ways to cope with all the stress.

The first way is to acknowledge and identify your stress. Nothing is worse than having a feeling of stress but not really knowing why or what you are stressed about. So acknowledge that, study for your tests, and set time aside each night for homework so you aren’t freaking out about it the next morning. We are all going into high school soon and homework contributes a lot to our grades so it’s good to establish habits now vs. in the future.

Next is the environment you are working in. Find where you work best, some like it dark, some like it light. Some people work best with music in the background and some people need the room to be dead silent in order to focus. Some work best at a desk, with a comfortable chair because they like sitting in that position but some people can work perfectly fine in bed or sitting on a couch. Some people like to have people around them like their family or friends or even their dog but some people need to be completely alone.

Lastly, get the help you need. Whether it’s asking your parents, older sibling, or grandparents or even getting a tutor for some extra help there is nothing embarrassing about needing help. All of us have our strengths whether you are amazing at math but really struggle in English find the help you need. That’s why schools have a support system, the counselors, deans, and teachers it’s all there for you. 

So next time you feel a little anxious about your upcoming assessment or think you won’t be able to get your homework done remember this article, take a deep breath, and believe in yourself.