How to Manage School Stress
Back to school season has started and school stress is ramping up. It can be exciting to start the school year again to see friends, or go off of college and see new people and new places. However, it can also be stressful to adjust to all the changes. Then, of course, there is the pressure to do well and get good grades. Students of all ages, elementary aged through college all experience stress with school. At least 45% of students report stress with school specific to school issues, up to 80% of students report feeling stressed often, and over 60% reported stress with going back to school.
Stress can come from a lot of sources too, not just the pressure to succeed. Although stressful pressure to do well in classes is experienced by most students and over 60% of them reported stress and anxiety in this area. Additional school factors, like rumors, bullying, trying to fit in, or other social stressors are ranked high by students of all ages. There are also challenges with being away from family, which is often stressful for both young students and college students, as well as students who may be starting a new school. Health challenges, family issues, relationship issues, financial concerns, and more may also increase stress for students. Parents may also face stress as well.
There are ways that parents and students can try to reduce their stress and manage it so that they and their families can be successful throughout the school year and stay mentally healthy. Here are a few strategies for managing school stress for students:
Talk about it.
The emotional burden of stress can be reduced by sharing it with someone else. This could be a friend, family member, counselor, or teacher. Other people may relate, be able to share stress management strategies that helped them, help advocate for students, or allocate responsibilities to lessen the load.
Create routine.
Routine help create balance. Routines are predictable and comfortable, helping to lessen the chaos and mental burden of figuring out what to do when. Routines can also help students manage time so they can study as well as rest. Routines can include self-care as well, including regular meal times, relaxation, sleep, and times spent with loved ones.
Limit screen time as needed.
Screens are everywhere and their content is made to get you to watch it as often as possible. Tv and social media are great to stay connected, relax, have fun, and even look up information for school. However, too much of it can cause more stress with peers, less time to do school work, more challenges with focusing, distraction, and difficulty sleeping. Work together with your child/parent or inner self to come up with best times for engaging in screen time and when to put it away. Come up with alternatives to screens based on your values, interests, and school responsibilities
Use comfort items.
Adjusting to going back and forth to school again can be difficult, especially when its a new place. Students can ease anxiety and feel more comfortable when they have a comfort item with them. This is a cherished item, something from a loved one, or something sensory that helps them relax and can be kept in a pocket, worn, book bag, or desk. Some examples are jewelry, a small stuffed animal, a photo, a piece of soft cloth, a stone, a fidget toy, a stress ball, among other things.
Speak in encouraging ways.
Parents can use affirmations and loving reminders to show their kids they believe in them and support them. Students can also think encouraging phrases to themselves that validate how they feel and push them to finish their work and rest when they need it.
These are just a few ways students can manage their school stress. It can help to spend time reflecting on what has been helpful in the past and what works with your current schedule and lifestyle. If you need more assistance managing stress, contact a therapist. If you need help finding a therapist or want to work with me to help with stress management, contact me now. We can set up a free consultation call if needed to help you explore your stress and decide if we are a good fit for therapy. Contact me at www.calmcenteredcounseling.com/contact
Sources:
https://research.com/education/student-stress-statistics
https://www.therecoveryvillage.com/professionals/blog/kids-anxious-about-going-back-to-school-2021/
https://www.bbrfoundation.org/blog/back-school-stress-management
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