| How Do I Handle This School Stress? | School | How Do I Handle This School Stress? | <div class="ExternalClassFC979CABCC314D9E9FDB87001C609010"><p><span style="font-family:tahoma;font-size:17.3333px;">I</span><span style="font-family:tahoma;font-size:17.3333px;">’m writing today
because school is super super stressful this year. I’m on my fourth week of
senior year and I’ve never had a school year as hectic/confusing as this one. I get insane amounts of homework, and I have two classes that are really hard and I don't really understand anything half the time, so I rely on online videos but
those can’t directly explain how to do the problems I need to do. It’s really
hard to manage my time because after school I have practice and games for my
sport and I just really don’t see myself passing the classes I need to pass. I already want to give up because there’s no way I can balance everything until
my sport season is over in 2 months. I’ve never failed a class before and have
never struggled nearly as hard as I am now, and I really don’t know what to do. My entire weekends are swallowed by school, I do nothing but work from the
moment I’m home to the moment I go to bed and I really hate it and it makes me
insanely upset and frustrated. </span><br></p></div> | <div class="ExternalClassCBC9B492236343D786E8F57BA9B139C4"><p><span style="font-family:tahoma;font-size:17.3333px;">It's great that you are reaching out. It sounds like your plate is very full right now. We know how hard it can be when you are balancing both a sport and classwork along with other family responsibilities that come along. It's early in the school year, so if you have not tried these ideas already, consider it, ok?</span></p><p><span style="font-family:tahoma;font-size:17.3333px;">If the classes you are in are honors or AP classes, see if you can switch to the general class right now. Typically there will be a time frame and you have to make the move within certain dates, but this would be a consideration as a higher GPA can be just as important if not more important than having honors classes.</span></p><p><span style="font-family:tahoma;font-size:17.3333px;">Talk to your instructor immediately. There is no shame in not understanding material. Everyone has their strengths and weaknesses, and these two classes are simply harder for you. See what your options are. Maybe you can do a test over, correct homework answers for some credit, or meet with the instructor during a free period or before school starts. Ask for tips and suggestions on how to study the material or even help organizing an outline.</span></p><p><span style="font-family:tahoma;font-size:17.3333px;">Do you have a friend in the class who could help or can they set up a tutor? Just having a different person explain it or show you could make a difference too. Maybe the terminology, extra practice problems, or suggestions on what to focus on the most would help. </span></p><p><span style="font-family:tahoma;font-size:17.3333px;">Organize a study group. Maybe there are 3 or 4 kids who want to work together. It helps to hear others work a problem out by talking through it out loud or even just sharing tips with each other and working as a team.</span></p><p><span style="font-family:tahoma;font-size:17.3333px;">On the weekends have an hour by hour calendar. You have to have some down time with friends, or a quick nap, or just alone time with a TV show or hanging out in your room. Schedule these activities in too. They are just as important as school work and will give your brain some needed rest. You might find if you step away from it for a bit, you actually can focus better when you get back to it.</span></p><p><span style="font-family:tahoma;font-size:17.3333px;">You can do this, but don't wait any longer because the worry about the grades will start to interfere with your ability to study too. Email in anytime, ok? There is no doubt it is frustrating, but with the right help you'll get through these two months.</span></p><p><span style="font-family:tahoma;font-size:17.3333px;">Laura, Crisis Counselor</span></p></div> | 17 | | |
