Let’s face it, school is stressful. There is just no way to study, prepare and do all the things you need to do and not feel it sometimes. Students of all ages, from toddlers in kindergarten to middle-aged people earning master’s degrees, experience some stress.
We cannot eliminate school stress, but we can do a lot to minimize its impact on us. After all, even if we get stressed, we still have to do our best and do our jobs. The key to dealing with school stress is understanding what causes it.
What stresses you out
Deadlines are a major stressor at school. Everything expires at a certain point, and this makes us worry about whether we will succeed. You have an exam tomorrow, and wondering if you are ready for it prevents you from preparing for it!
Most of us are natural procrastinators. Leaving everything for the last minute puts a lot of pressure on us. Poor time management and procrastination make that deadline seem deadly. Bad time management is a symptom of a bigger problem: disorganization. If you are 100% organized in everything you do, your school life will be very simple. But how many of us can say that we are?
Finally, a major stressor for students is the simple fear that we will not make it. With deadlines, exams, things to do, our own messy disorganization, and a wide range of teacher expectations of us, we simply worry about whether or not we’ll pass.
Look on the bright side
You cannot fully organize yourself and do the entire day that you are assigned. However, you can eliminate the fear of not passing. This is the number one stressor that hinders higher school achievement and can be easily overcome.
The reason you are afraid of not passing is because it is what you tell yourself every day. It is a self-fulfilling prophecy. This means that if you are singing to yourself over and over again, “I will fail,” you will fail. No doubt about it. These counterproductive attitudes can be paralyzing for people.
What if, instead of saying “I will fail. I will fail”, you start telling yourself every day “I will pass with great success”?
This is called “positive affirmation” and it is a tool used by psychiatrists to treat major emotional disorders. However, anyone can do it. Clear the mind of negative thoughts and instill positive thoughts instead. It is the key to success in overcoming school stress.
Just identify your negative thoughts. What are you telling yourself every day that is tearing you apart? Now, turn them in a positive direction. Pick a few key phrases and repeat them to yourself several times throughout the day. Whenever you feel that negative, self-defeating thought taking hold of you, fight back with your positive affirmation.
It seems too easy to work with, but it works like a charm. Your self-defeating attitude can defeat you, so replace it with a positive one.