Students Ask About Anxiety: What To Do When It Involves School

High School Students Ask About Anxiety:

How should you deal with your anxiety involving school?

Dear high school students,

Managing School Anxiety: Empower Yourself With Insight & Balance

Understanding and mitigating the anxiety swirling around school experiences can often feel like navigating a turbulent sea in a small boat. Don't worry, it's completely natural and you're not alone. High school, with its rigorous schedules and high expectations, can be a whirlpool of stress. However, just like the wood that makes up the boat is stronger than the stormy sea, your resilience and potential are far more powerful than the tension you experience.

Identify The Name of The Storm

When you find yourself swept up in worry, remember, the first step is recognizing your anxiety, much like naming the storm that’s causing such high waves. You can't calm the weather until you understand it. Is it a particular class, certain social situation, fear of an upcoming test, or the pressure to make decisions about your future? Clearly identifying the source gives you a starting point.

Once you know what's creating the storm, consider your emotions as navigational tools. Feeling apprehensive about an upcoming Physics exam? That's a signal that you need more study time or extra help — it's a chance to seek resources. Feelings of social anxiety indicate a need for supportive, reassuring connections. Acknowledge your feelings, but remember, they don't control your journey; they help you chart the course.

Adopting Yes, No and Balance

Often, the urge to excel propels us to cling to every opportunity we come across. However, remember "every yes is a no”. It's a reminder that our time is finite, and every commitment we make has an opportunity cost — an echo of what we had to set aside. It's like trying to squeeze more cargo into your boat without considering the extra weight. You want to be mindful of your capacity and your vessel's limitations.

Imagine every aspect of school life — classes, extracurricular activities, social obligations — as different types of cargo. The trick is to balance the load so your boat can sail smoothly. For instance, saying 'yes' to an extra study session might mean saying 'no' to time with friends. And conversely, saying 'yes' to a party might mean saying 'no' to an early night's sleep. Picturing things in this way offers a different perspective, enabling you to balance your commitments and manage anxiety.

Charting Your Course

Facing and managing school anxiety isn't an overnight voyage – it's a journey. And every journey is a process of self-discovery. Anxiety can be compared to stormy weather; it's uncomfortable and unnerving, yet it provides fertile ground for blooming resilience.

The takeaway message here is, school anxiety, like any other storm, is a natural phenomenon. It's okay to feel anxious. What's important is how you harness your understanding — how you steer your boat through the storm. Know your capacity and treat every 'yes' as a thoughtful choice, bearing in mind that for every 'yes,' there is a 'no.'

Remember, you're the skilled captain navigating these high seas, not a helpless passenger. Equip your boat with understanding, balance your cargo thoughtfully, and chart a course that protects your well-being. As you build your resilience, your anxiety will become another wave that you've learned to surf, rather than an overwhelming storm. And always remember, like every storm, school anxiety will pass.

You're stronger than this storm. If you would like to schedule a session with one of our therapists that work with teens and young adults, email or text today!

with hope,

The Insights Counseling Team