Whether you have teachers concerned about lower than stellar test scores, parents pushing you to improve your GPA, or your own personal drive to do your best and get into a first-class college, academic stress can become a struggle almost as early as middle school for many young people today. With exam pressure mounting and college admission anxiety at an all-time high, surveys show that school is one of the biggest sources of stress for people aged 13-17 years old today. If you’re feeling the pressure, the good news is that there are several things that you can do to get on top of things and feel more in control. These include:

1. Get Additional Help:

There are several things that you can do when it comes to getting additional help at school. Speak to your parents about seeing a tutor to help you academically after school or on the weekend if you feel that it is necessary. If it’s the stress itself that you need help with rather than the source, then speak to your teacher or school counsellor and ask for extra support. Many schools offer therapy and other options for students who feel that they need some extra support. If the stress of assignments and essays is mounting up, you can find essay help to make the process easier.

2. Take Time for Yourself:

Although getting the best grades and getting into the college that you want is hugely important for you during this time of your life, don’t forget to take some time to care for yourself. Make sure that you are giving your body and mind the means to be able to cope with the stress; ensure that you are getting enough sleep, exercising regularly, and eating a healthy diet. Spending all your spare time working on school isn’t healthy, either – set aside time for homework and revision, and time for having down time, doing things that you enjoy, and spending time with your friends.

3. Take Things One Step at a Time:

When you’re faced with a large assignment, it can quickly become very overwhelming. The best way to deal with this is to take things one small step at a time. Divide your work into smaller, more manageable chunks. For example, if you’re working on an essay, you can break it down into gathering ideas, writing the thesis statement, the body, introduction, and conclusion, for example. Looking at it this way will make it easier to handle, compared to taking the entirety of the work on all at once.

4. Reconsider Your Goals:

Reconsidering and lowering your goals doesn’t mean that you’re slacking off. In some cases, going for smaller goals makes doing so more achievable, and ends up with you achieving more. By doing this, you may be able to boost your academic success and relieve some stress. And, the sense of achievement and pride that you will feel when you hit your smaller goals will give you the boost you need to reach for the bigger ones.

5. Take Regular Breaks:

Last but not least, don’t forget the importance of taking regular breaks. Your brain is only able to concentrate fully for a couple of hours at a time if that, and pushing yourself constantly will burn you out and have the opposite effect on your results. Every so often, push studying aside and do something that makes you feel good about yourself. Whether you go for a short walk, listen to some music that you enjoy, or call a friend, taking your mind away from you studies for a short while means you’ll return feeling refreshed and focused.
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