Back to School Stress

It’s back-to-school season, meaning, you guessed it. Stress. Stress. And more stress. For those of you not stressed, good for you. I, however, can’t relate in any way. If you’re like me, who gets stressed over every little thing, I got your back. In this blog, I’ll be covering simple yet effective ways to de-stress, as well as some tips and advice to get you off to a right start in the school year.

Believe it or not, but stress is actually necessary for us. It’s our automatic response towards a danger or threat we’re facing, also commonly known as the fight-or-flight response (1). There are many factors that trigger stress, such as feeling pressured or overwhelmed, a traumatizing event, or simply the fear of something. Stress is a completely normal thing. However, there are also severe cases of stress. This is known as anxiety. The difference between the two is that stress goes away after the problem has been dealt with, while anxiety causes a person to persistently worry, even with the absence of a stressor (2). I won’t be covering anxiety in this blog, but if you find yourself struggling with anxiety, or think you might have anxiety, click here or here for some resources.

Did you know that there are actually some positives to stress? Let’s take a look at the negatives first. Being occasionally stressed won’t do much to your health, but prolonged stress can definitely harm your health. We may not know it, but stress significantly affects different parts of our body. Stress can weaken our immune system, which can eventually lead to chronic illnesses (1). It can also alter the way our brain functions, leading to bad memory or cognitive problems (1). But according to psychologist Alia Crum, is actually not so grim. Stress can actually help us optimize our circumstances to achieve the goal we want (3). But even still, keeping off the stress is still the best way to go.

Here are 5 simple yet effective ways to lower some of those skyrocketing stress levels.

1. Change the environment:

Sometimes all we need is a little scenery change. If you’re cooped up in your room, go outside and get some fresh air. Instead of staring at the screen, or the super tough homework assignment that’s making you frustrated, get up and play with your pet, or simply take a break.

2. Focus on your breathing:

Take deep breaths and push all thoughts aside. Breathe in, breathe out. Keep repeating until you feel your mind calmed down.

3. Do some relaxation exercises:

Relax your muscles and focus on your breathing. You can also do some light stretching. The best way to do this is close your eyes and just enjoy the peace and quiet.

4. Get away from your stressor:

Get away from whatever is causing you to be stressed. Take a break, you can go back to it later. Do something else that’ll help take your mind off it. You can read a book, do some journaling, draw etc.

5. Do nothing:

This is one of my favorites. Stop what you’re doing and just sit there or lie down somewhere. Close your eyes, breathe, and just stay there. You can listen to music, but try not to think of anything. You’ll come back feeling more refreshed.

These are just some favorites of mine that I personally do. If you would like the full list, check it out here at Virtua.

School itself can already cause stress, but getting off to a bad start can additionally elevate those stress levels. Here are some tips and advice to ensure you start off the school year with a bang.

• Rotate study spaces:

You don’t need to continuously sit at the desk in your room all day long. As I mentioned before, sometimes we need a change of environment. Moving to a different spot can actually help prompt your brain better.

• Use a planner:

Whether it be digital or physical, having a planner will definitely prove useful. Track all homework, test/quiz dates, upcoming events, anything important that needs to be remembered.

• Don’t procrastinate:

We are all guilty of this. Rather than putting off your homework, try to get it out of the way so you won’t have to stress over it later. If you have an assignment that will be due in a few weeks, instead of rushing to complete it last minute, do a little bit day by day.

• Get organized:

Keep all your papers and supplies in one place. That way, you won’t be scrambling around trying to find last week’s homework or that set of notes you suddenly need. Getting into a routine can also help you be more productive. Get into the habit of allocating a designated time to doing all your work distraction-free.

• Have a plan:

Estimate how much time you will need to do work for each subject. Additionally, try to set some time to do some reviewing each day. That way, you won’t have to cram the night before your test. It’s also very important to use your time wisely. If your teacher gives you time in class, take advantage of that. Be productive and get things done quickly.

If you would like more detailed tips and advice, check out The Princeton Review's list.

And that’s it for today’s blog! I will be writing a blog in the future about Procrastination so be sure to keep your eyes open for that. I wish you all the best of luck! School is important, but remember that it is equally, if not more important to take care of your health.

Stay Happy and Healthy 💗

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Works Cited

(1) "Stress." Psychology Today, Sussex Publishers, www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/

stress. Accessed 22 Aug. 2020.

(2) Alvord, Mary Alvord, and Raquel Halfond. "What's the difference between stress

and anxiety?" American Psychological Association, 28 Oct. 2019, www.apa.org/

topics/stress-anxiety-difference. Accessed 22 Aug. 2020.

(3) Pogosyan, Marianna. "Stress Can Be Good for You." Psychology Today, Sussex

Publishers, 20 Aug. 2020, www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/between-cultures/

202008/stress-can-be-good-you. Accessed 22 Aug. 2020.