By: Kyla Pritchett
Personally, I would call myself a stress connoisseur but who am I to speak. I’ve done enough stressing about school and my future so much, I’m pretty sure I shaved off 5 years of my life. I know about stress as much as the next anxiety-filled person, but as I reflect on my high school experience I am noticing that I had a lot of bad stress. We aren’t supposed to have a lot of bad stress but believe it or not, stress can be a good thing. According to Verywellmind.com, good stress “... is the type of stress we feel when we are excited. Our pulse quickens and our hormones surge, but there is no threat or fear… There are many triggers for this good stress, and it keeps us feeling alive and excited about life.” (Scott,2020). Even though it might not feel like it, we have periods of stress in our life to keep us happy. In high school, the feeling of good stress may appear when you get a good grade on a project, come in first place in kahoot, understanding that one math problem that almost caused you to go on the verge of tears, etc. We can also have acute stress which is a brief period of stress that goes away quickly when handled. An example of this could be when you thought the due date said 11:59 a.m. but then again check and it says p.m. Little excitements or shocks of electricity can be great for you! However, bad stress is never too far. Bad stress occurs when too much stress is on our body. If you have a lot of stress physically or psychologically, it can turn into bad stress. In school, if you put too much stress on yourself by overworking yourself or not having enough organization, it causes bad stress and eventually turns into a burnout.
To find ways to avoid stress, look at our article ‘How to avoid school stress & a burnout’.
By: Kyla Pritchett
I believe that SLA is a great school environment filled with open minds and creative ideas. It is one of the reasons I chose the school. While SLA has an interesting learning concept, this can be your demise A large amount of free time and creative space allows the teachers to assign large amounts of work, which can be difficult to manage. When I entered Highschool, I found it incredibly difficult to adjust to SLA’s environment. Here are some tips I wish I received and some tips that helped me:
Advocate for yourself! High school is a huge period for growth. When I was younger, I would struggle with speaking up for myself in fear of what others may think and how they would respond. This hurt me when I didn’t understand material for the first time if I felt uncomfortable, or if I was going through personal challenges.
Build a relationship with at least one of your teachers! Building a relationship with teachers is one of the best pieces of advice I can give. You don’t have to completely open up or brown-nose a teacher, but it is great to have conversations (or small talk if you’re shy) with at least one teacher. I built multiple relationships with different teachers, but one more closely with Ms.Hare. I am completely grateful I did because she has helped me during teh college process and mentally. I also have a good relationship with Ms.Moran (she is not as mean as she tries to make it seem!!).
Pace yourself! One of the biggest problems I had in high school was stress. I feel like I stressed way too much and now that I am reflecting, it feels as if it was for nothing. To help your mental health and to start healthy habits I recommend you pace yourself. Pacing yourself can help you discover and set boundaries for yourself and others. It can help you avoid having too much on your plate (something I constantly went through). This can be applied academically and personally! So do not limit yourself and do not overdo it, try to find that balance.
Sign up for clubs and activities! Joining clubs and activities can be so much fun! This can help make and strengthen relationships, build your resume, and open up many opportunities. If you do decide to join clubs DO NOT commit to every club or every activity that is offered. It will be hard to commit and engage in all of them. The best thing about SLA is that if you don’t see a club that you are interested in you can create one! It is also a good idea to look for summer programs or SAT prep classes early.
Make memories! This may sound a bit cliche, but please make memories with your friends! You’re only this young once, and before you know it you’ll be walking across the stage collecting your diploma. Go to sports games, have a sleepover, go to an SLA party, make TikToks, and/or take photos! This is related to the whole work hard play hard ideology, so treat yourself and have fun!
By: Davina King
Below, I listed some basic tips on how to manage and avoid stress. Even though some of these may seem small, they can make a huge difference if you implement them in your routine.
If you're able to remove yourself from the stressful situation. Sometimes it can be as simple as getting up walking away and taking some time to yourself.
Try exercising. Something as simple as a walk/jog can help to physically release stress and clear your mind.
Force yourself to take deep breaths. Try the 4-7-8 breathing method. Inhale through your nose for 4 seconds, hold for 7, exhale through your mouth for 8 seconds.
If you can talk to someone please try your best to communicate your feelings. It can take some of that weight off of your shoulders, build communication skills, and strengthen relationships.
Organize something. Pick a small task and get to work, it can help with feeling in control and productive.
If you start off with these basic tips, it can help with stress build-up which can prevent you from having a burnout!
By: Davina King
Make sure you have developed time management skills. This isn't like middle school where you can hurry and do work right before class. If the work is due 11:59 at night it needs to be done before then. Some of the stricter teachers will have work due at weird times, you need to make a habit of checking canvas OFTEN for any work due. Not only for that day but the day after too. Don't be afraid to talk to your teachers and ask for help. If you don't understand something let that be known. If you can find a group of people to study/do work with. Not only will that make the work you are doing more enjoyable but you will also have people around you if you are having trouble with something. Tips: Try to turn in assignments as early as you can. Don't let the work build up ESPECIALLY during benchmark season.
By: Kyla and Davina
Our senior year was one of the hardest years at SLA. On top of adjusting to remote learning, we had to begin our college journey alone. Though Ms.Lawson tried to help, there were still many things we struggled with. Even though it is likely you’ll be starting the college process in-person, we have some tips that will make it easier on you during this stressful process. Below we listed some things we found helpful/ things we wish we knew about the college process.
Start your college essay as early as possible! Having your personal statement/essay done early can help applying easier. Also, look into the schools you’re applying to and see if they require a supplemental essay.
Apply to schools as early as possible! Applying to schools early gives you more time to think and put you at a better chance of getting scholarships.
Dont be afraid to reach out! Do not be shy to connect with a teacher of previous senior that has gone through the college process.
Create a list! In your junior year, complite a list of schools that stand out to you. Starting your research on schools early will help save time and stress. Also, if you’re not sure what you want to major in, try to look for libreal arts schools (its also okay to go in undecided). If you create a solid list, you can start scheduling college tours for over the summer!
Start applying for scholarships ASAP! Scholarships will be your best friend in college, the more scholarships you receive = less (or no) loans + out of pocket payments. Youc an also use your personal essay in these scholarships.
Complete your FAFSA and PHEAA ASAP! The earlier you apply, the more likely it is that you will receive money.
Communicate with your parent(s) or guardian! Keeping your parents and/or guardian informed will help with support during this process- especially if you are going to be a first generation college student.
Learn how to take breaks! The last thing you need to feel is even more stress. Please take breaks and relax during this process. Being overwhelmed can cause you not to think straight, so set boundaries for yourself during this process.
Be organized and Honest with yourself! Being organized will help make this easier. Creating spreadsheets, writing deadlines, preparing documents will keep you on track with this process.If you’re unorganized during this process you can risk missing deadlines, scholarships,and submitting an incomplete application.
DO NOT LET THIS PROCESS DETERMINE YOUR WORTH!!!!!! When your application is reviewed, it falls into the hands of a person just like you. A regular person from the admissions team at the school you applied to, will review your application and determine if you ‘qualified’ or ‘unqualified’. Meaning this whole process is subjective. These people only know your form of a sheet of paper. They do not know you personally so their idea of you will only be what they perceive it. So DO NOT think you are less than someone else because you didn't get into a school. DO NOT think you are missing something or not qualified for something because you didn't get into a school. Everything happens for a reason and your future is what you make it no matter what school you go to.
The college process may not be as easy for some as it is for others. It's a lot of work but getting it done early will be very helpful. Allow yourself space to step back and breath. DON'T WORRY! You are doing a good job. You may not get into every school you apply to but that does not mean you are any less worthy. That is why having backup plans is so important. Having multiple other schools to lean back on if your first second or even third option falls through. We promise it will worth it in the end.
Call 1-800-273-TALK (8255) for a 24-hour crisis center.
Text MHA or HELLO to 741741
Go to the nearest emergency room.
SAMHSA’s National Helpline: 1-800-662-HELP (4357)
Panic Disorder Hotline: 1-800-64-PANIC (72642)