“Normalizing experiences of stress and pushing past obstacles can help kids understand that they can do hard things.” – Researchers at the University of Rochester
It will surprise no one that many students of all ages are reporting increased stress and mental health struggles. When seeking to identify causes, the pandemic and social media are two of the usual suspects – undoubtedly, both have impacted students' habits, self-esteem, learning opportunities, and social interactions.
Whatever the cause, stress is a part of life for high schoolers, so how can students and parents manage inevitable challenges and help others who are facing them? Here are seven strategies for students of all ages, followed by seven more that are specifically for seniors in the midst of their applications.
Sleep: beyond having more energy, you will notice that your memory functions better and your mood will improve
Move: exercise and drink plenty of water. More exercise means more endorphins and less stress.
Talk: to your friends, your parents, and other trusted adults who can help you when you are feeling down. Practicing positive self-talk can help as well.
Listen: to others – you can be a source of stress relief to someone who needs the ear of a friend. Listening to wise counsel from friends and parents can be helpful too.
Indulge: make time to do the things you love, whether that’s going to the movies, crafting, volunteering, cooking, dancing, or simply hanging out with friends. You can also plan ‘stress-free’ days when you allow yourself to have a break from school work.
Be present: try mindfulness and meditation. These techniques are easy to learn and have been proven to help manage stress and improve a sense of wellbeing. There are many apps that can help you, such as Smiling Mind, Insight Timer, or UCLA Mindful.
Work: diving into the tasks you are avoiding will actually make you feel better. Sometimes all you have to do is make a start to see how much easier it goes from there.
Seniors face an obvious additional source of stress. While trying to succeed in school and maintain a social life, they face some daunting tasks: completing a stack of applications, putting themselves ‘out there’ for acceptances or rejections from universities, and making decisions about the future. The first step in helping yourself thrive in this busy season is to acknowledge that the pressure is real – and it will ease off soon. Here are seven tips specifically for seniors who are applying to college. Following these suggestions has helped our students enjoy the journey with less stress and achieve more successful outcomes:
Finalize a balanced list of safe to reach universities and plan your application strategy. If you confirm where you are applying and research your universities well, you will find it much easier to write your essays. Applying early (EA and/or ED) can reduce your tension by providing you with an offer early on in the admissions cycle.
Get organized. Make a schedule to ensure you work on your applications regularly. You can also make a list of everything that is required for each of your schools: e.g., Do they take a research paper or abstract? How many recommendation letters will they accept? Are they test-optional and can test scores be self reported? Your Ivy Options tracker and counselor will help you make sure you haven’t forgotten anything!
Set goals. Here are two good examples: I will submit my Early Decision application by October 10th. I will complete draft essays for two universities each week. You’ll quickly see that writing gets much easier after you’ve completed the first few applications!
Stay on top of school work. Senior year academics matter to admissions officers, so don’t sacrifice school for your applications; balance is key.
Avoid last-minute changes or additions to your list based on the opinions of others, rankings, or name recognition. Instead, discuss any concerns with your counselor. Remember that many paths can lead to a successful and fulfilling life. The next four years are not your ultimate goal; rather, they are one step in achieving your ambitions.
Streamline your life. Now is the time to let go of less important activities, at least temporarily. Reducing your commitment to sports and clubs will free up much-needed time.
Stay in close contact with your counselor. We are always eager to help. If you or your parents have any concerns, arrange a meeting to talk through the issues.
Too much stress can have detrimental effects, so we all need to learn how to manage it. On the other hand, stress in itself isn’t bad. It’s a natural biological mechanism that helps us recognize and manage difficult situations.
Researchers at the University of Rochester add to this positive picture and have trained students how to reframe their perspective on stress saying, “Stress reappraisal…focuses on changing the type of stress response: If we believe we have sufficient resources to address the demands we’re presented with – it doesn’t matter if the demands are high – if we think we can handle them, our body is going to respond with the challenge response, which means stress is seen as a challenge, rather than a threat.”
So to students, we say, yes, some stress is unavoidable. However, with good practices like those listed above and support from parents, friends, and trusted teachers and counselors, you’ll not only get through the coming years, you’ll also become much stronger and discover your potential to excel.
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For further reading, check out these articles from Stanford News and the University of Rochester News Center: