60% of students feel stressed everyday. Many students, especially during junior year, feel super overwhelmed when trying to juggle academics, sports, and other activities. There’s a lot of pressure when it comes to trying to fit in all of these activities, and it can make it hard to slow down and rest.
“The biggest source of stress for me is trying to fit in time to do all my homework with all of my activities. I never feel like I have enough time to relax. Even if I try to relax, there is always something I could be doing,” Junior Class President Leo Halperin said.
Mr. Maigler, a social worker at LFHS, frequently encounters students struggling with this similar stress.
“Students try to fit so much everyday into a 24 hour span. What they don’t realize and accept is that it is not possible to achieve [everything] everyday, which is okay,” Mr. Maigler said.
In high school, students feel as though they have an unspoken expectation to continuously run on a busy schedule. Lots only feel successful when they are filling every minute with activities, school work, and even part-time jobs. Filling your days up with so many activities often creates pressure to multitask and feelings of inadequacy.
Beyond juggling sports, work, and homework, many students face harsh expectations regarding their GPAs. The pressure on maintaining a high GPA for college really starts to create the most stress on juniors as they begin the whole college process.
“The area we live in is very competitive, and there is a [a lot] of comparison, which adds another layer of stress that is unnecessary. You should be focusing on how much you’ve improved yourself,” Junior Student Class Vice President Audrey Adamo said.
All this striving for success can take a toll, as some students can feel burnt out. Balancing so many responsibilities and tasks leaves little rest and inevitable burnout.
“Balancing sports and school while trying to have a social life all at once comes with a bit of an unexpected mental drain,” junior Brady Harper said.
A strategy Maigler recommends for students struggling with this kind of stress and trying to avoid burnout is a shift in mindset.
“To not get super burnt out, tell yourself ‘I get to vs. I have to’ whatever opportunity you have.”
Stress is a common aspect of high school life, but there are many ways you can manage it without it controlling your overall experience of high school. By taking tasks with positive mindsets, creating goals, and focusing on what’s most important in the moment can help you feel way more balanced.
