S-T-R-E-S-S, Stress, stress, stressstress!

Ask many adults what they think of when you mention “senior year of high school” and they most likely will conjure up images of prom, football games, college visits, and spending time with friends. They might even through in that word “senioritis”. Ask an actual Senior in High School and they will sum it up with another word…STRESS!

Between AP classes and SATs and ACTs and college searches and Mrs. Willis bugging for that résumé/brag letter/application on top of trying to juggle visiting friends who have already left for college and trying to hold on to the ones still here before you leave and trying to decide where to go and how to pay for it and what you want to do with the REST OF YOUR LIFE…whoa, I think I just had a flashback!

Before you give yourself a panic attack, take a few deep breaths and remember these things:

• Develop time management skills. Don’t over schedule your day. Create realistic expectations and deadlines. Plan ahead and prioritize tasks. You may have to say “No” to some things.

• Pace yourself. Remember that life is a marathon, not a sprint. That goes for school and the college admission process.

• Don’t let little things become big things. Take care of small tasks as they arise before they become MAJOR CRISES.

• Remember, NOBODY is perfect. Don’t demand perfection from yourself or from others. Not everyone gets to be #1 and that is OK!!!

• Take time out of your busy schedule to have fun or relax. Find out what activities engender a feeling of well-being within you. It could be reading for pleasure, playing music or singing, meditation, deep breathing exercises, an afternoon power nap, a game of chess—anything that takes your mind off school and relaxes you.

• Regular exercise is a proven method of minimizing stress. Find something vigorous to do that increases your heart rate for at least 20 minutes a few times a week. You can combine this with the one above (see: time management!).

• Eat well, be well. Too much junk food or fast food will contribute to your high stress levels. Good nutrition is essential to a healthy mind and body.

• Get plenty of rest. Avoid all-nighters and eleventh-hour cram sessions fueled by caffeine. Sleeplessness and chronic fatigue exacerbate stress.

• Stay positive. Don’t get caught in a cycle of negativity and frustration. Look for solutions to problems. Learn to be patient and understanding of other people’s behavior.

• Seek professional help if you feel overburdened and unable to cope. Don’t put off talking to me or another trusted adult if you feel overwhelmed by stress.

• Don’t shut out your parents. According to the Mayo clinic, “Adolescents who have positive relationships with their parents tend to handle stress more effectively as adults.”

Remember that stress is a part of life. It’s a byproduct of the fight-or-flight function of our nervous system. Acute stress can save us in a crisis or cause us to rise to the challenge of an important event, but chronic stress brought about by the pressures of daily life can be debilitating unless managed. You have more control than you think, you just need to center yourself every once and a while!