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Welcome to the AAHS Advice Column where we will be providing guidance. At the bottom of this page is a form to anonymously ask questions on any topic, whether it be managing stress, relationships, or life in general. Feel free to interact, and your question might be featured in the next edition!
Managing a steady emotional status is important to your overall health. With factors like college deadlines around the corner for seniors, loads of homework and tests, and the constant stress of the general pandemic, it is easy to neglect caring for your health. Below are some mental health-themed anonymous questions and advice.
"10 Tips to Stay Positive"
"10 Tips to Stay Positive"
By Rachel Phillip
Do you usually consider the glass half-empty or half-full? The way you look at situations can have direct effects on your health. Let’s take a look at 10 tips to help you stay positive.
Make a gratitude journal. By writing down three statements of gratitude, you remind yourself on a daily basis that there is so much to be thankful for.
Treat yourself to some self-care every day. The time that you set apart for self-care can be used as your time to de-stress and unwind from any challenges you have been facing.
Planning ahead can also help control your stress levels and anxiety. Being well-prepared for whatever comes is one way of making sure you remain positive when faced with negativity. For example, if you have a project, buy the poster the next time you go to the store instead of waiting until the day before and making an emergency trip.
Smile! This may seem super simple, but the benefits of smiling are endless. Smiling makes our bodies release cortisol and endorphins, which are directly associated with helping reduce blood pressure.
Get proper sleep. We all know the feeling of falling asleep late and getting barely any rest. Getting a good night's sleep will make your day that much easier to handle, allowing you to look at the tasks at hand much more optimistically.
Surround yourself with loving people who bring out the best in you. Having company from people who support you helps boost your own mindset.
Spend less time on social media. Many times, there is toxic content that can affect your mindset in a malignant way. Steer yourself away from that negativity as much as possible.
View your failures as motivation. Consider them a learning experience and fix your previous habits to do better next time. It's important to look at the bright side and view these failures as future opportunities.
Exercise! Getting in some exercise each day will suppress negative thoughts and increase overall positivity, so go on the run you’ve been saying you wanted to or play a sport you enjoy for your home high school.
Practice positive self-talk. Form a positive personal outlook by becoming aware of any negative views you have about yourself, and practicing uplifting self-talk instead.
“I feel overwhelmed by the amount of work I’m being assigned. There seems to be a lot more homework this year which is hard to manage because I am in clubs. School is taking over my life.”
“I feel overwhelmed by the amount of work I’m being assigned. There seems to be a lot more homework this year which is hard to manage because I am in clubs. School is taking over my life.”
School may be more demanding this year with the amount of homework and other commitments you may have, but remember to put your health first. Getting good grades and finishing tasks for your other responsibilities is important, but if you neglect your social health (relationships with friends and family), physical health (sleeping, eating, avoiding stress), and mental/emotional health, you’re not going to be able to perform your best or have a good year. It helps to create a task list or agenda of everything you have to do and order it based on priority. Don’t forget, relationships, sleeping, eating, and generally just taking small breaks are priorities as well so don’t ignore them when organizing your lists!
“Upcoming college acceptance letters are stressing me out.”
“Upcoming college acceptance letters are stressing me out.”
For the people who applied for early decision/action, December is a very important month. Even for those who are applying for regular decision, hearing about your peers getting into colleges could be stressful. As acceptances come in, you may find yourself freaking out about spots being taken and your ultimate fate, but it's unfair to yourself for you to stress. These past four years, you’ve worked extremely hard to be a good student and be involved in your community. Once you submit your applications, it's out of your hands so it’s not worth losing sleep over. You tried your best and presented yourself as a great applicant. It's now the college’s job to recognize that and decide if you align with their campus. Regardless of the ultimate outcome, don’t forget that you did everything you could, and that in itself is something to celebrate.
“I constantly compare myself to my peers even though I can’t help it. I feel like any achievements I accomplish will never stack up to others.”
“I constantly compare myself to my peers even though I can’t help it. I feel like any achievements I accomplish will never stack up to others.”
Honestly, this was one of the biggest insecurities that I had throughout all my years at Allied. While I love the academic rigor of Allied and being able to thrive in a collaborative environment, students are all so smart that I always compare myself to my classmates, which led to low self esteem and low confidence. It’s important to acknowledge not everything is what it seems on the surface, and everyone is going through their own struggles as well (Hey, it’s high school, one of the most important learning experiences in our life!) I hope my advice serves as a gentle reminder that “It’s okay to not be okay”. We all falter sometimes, so take a day (or a few!) to rest and practice self care. Take things one step at a time, one day at a time, and I can promise you that everything will be okay in the end.
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