Pressure on Students
Have you ever felt so overwhelmed with all your schoolwork that it barely even fits into your backpack? Well, most students feel this way. In fact, every day, teens and tweens are put under the stress of completing schoolwork and participating in school co-curricular activities, while trying to maintain a social life.
Causes of Pressure
There are plenty of possible factors that might result in pressure being put on students. Some examples include tests, social media, time management, and the expectations of parents/guardians and teachers. This can easily cause anyone to feel overwhelmed or stressed.
Tests and Exams
Tests and exams can make students feel pressured to excel. Classes, tests, and exams tend to occur around the same time of the year, leading to piles of topics to review and homework to complete. Studying can be very time consuming, making it hard to balance school responsibilities with other activities. According to Harvard student Grace Tatter’s study on tests and stress bias students have 15% more cortisol (the stress hormone) on days they have a test (Tatter, 2019). Students’ cortisol levels can also drop due to a reluctance to complete an assessment. Students with the greatest variations in cortisol levels during testing and non-testing weeks tend to receive worse marks.
Social Media
After reading an article titled “Social Media Use and Academic Achievement” by Jessica Henderson, there is evidence that social media platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, and X negatively affect students’ grades. The statistics showed that the more time students spent on social media, the lower their grades were. Social media has been proven to be a distraction to students, resulting in them falling behind in their work. Feeling the need to catch up, while struggling to do so, can increase stress and leave students feeling overwhelmed..
Time Management
Time management is the process of balancing and planning your time. If a student lacks this skill, they have a much higher risk of feeling stressed. It is important to create a schedule to organize when and what tasks you need to complete, as it can make deadlines feel less overwhelming. Balance is also key to time management; it gives you an idea of how to allocate your time and helps regulate what you do and when. If you participate in many co-curricular activities, it is important to manage your schoolwork alongside these commitments. You can do this by setting aside specific time slots in your calendar based on when tasks are due and how long they are likely to take.
Parents & Guardians
Every guardian or parent of a child has expectations for their child as they want them to be successful. They might include getting all sevens in math, making the badminton team, or studying for a science test for a couple of hours. However, it can sometimes get to the point where the child feels serious pressure and becomes a perfectionist. In some cases, students may even feel the need to cheat to ensure they are fulfilling their parents’ hopes.
Teachers
Teachers and schools have rules in place to help students achieve their goals. However, in some schools, an excessive number of rules can cause students to feel constant pressure to avoid breaking them or disappointing their teachers. Additionally, approaching deadlines can create ongoing stress for everyone involved. When a teacher is stressed, their mood may decline, which can eventually affect students as well. If a teacher is unhappy, it is likely that students will feel the impact too.
Peers
After receiving a grade, it is common for students to compare marks. This creates a lot of peer pressure, especially if others’ marks are higher. Events like this can reduce self-esteem, and once again, can lead to more stress. Furthermore, while socializing is great for both the body and mind, peers can also become a distraction. It can be difficult to manage time between friends and schoolwork, which often leads to increased stress.
How to Deal With Stress
Stress is very common and should be dealt with so that balance can be achieved, allowing teenagers to have a successful and happy experience.
Some simple things you can implement into your daily routine to lower your levels of stress include:
Creating a calendar to help with organization. Organize your time for work while keeping self-care as a priority. When deciding what to do first, focus on tasks that are due the soonest. Then, complete any other work you have time for. Finally, make time for self-care. This can be anything that helps you feel relaxed or happy. Choose a time to go to bed and wake up, and try to keep this routine consistent.
Sleep is a necessity. Teens should be getting at least 8 to 10 hours of sleep each night. Although, the average teen gets around 6.5 to 7.5 hours per night, due to hectic schedules that often cut into sleep time. Consistent sleep can help reduce stress and improve mental health overall. A lack of sleep can lead to poor grades, short attention spans, poor memory, mood swings, and more pessimistic views about the world and school environment.
Socializing is an important strategy to relieve stress. You can spend time with a friend and talk about anything, including what is causing stress. This can help boost endorphins, which are chemicals in the brain that make you feel happy
Working in a calm environment can really help with completing tasks. Do schoolwork in a space that does not have many distractions. For example, you could work in a café, library, or your bedroom. If these spaces are not quiet, noise-cancelling headphones can help. Try to avoid places with televisions, large groups of people, or anything else that may be distracting.
Exercise releases endorphins, which can help reduce anxiety and improve blood flow throughout the body. According to the Government of Canada, teens should be getting at least an hour of moderate to vigorous exercise per day (Canada, 2018). You can get more exercise by walking or biking to school instead of driving, joining school sports teams, or taking the dog for a walk if you have one.
Journaling is another great way to relieve stress. It allows you to vent about anything and everything that is on your mind. While journaling can be done digitally or on paper, research suggests that the benefits are greatest when using a physical journal. Journaling can help people accept rather than judge their thoughts and emotions, reduce anxiety, prevent cycles of overthinking, regulate emotions, and improve how events are perceived.
In summary, stress is very common and has many sources that you can prevent or address. Stress can cause many problems, such as poor mental health, sleep issues, difficulty concentrating, and more. However, following the list of solutions above can help prevent or alleviate these challenges and support a healthier, more balanced lifestyle for students.
References
Canada, P. H. A. of. (2018, October 1). Physical activity tips for youth (12-17 years). Aem. https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/publications/healthy-living/physical-activity-tips-youth-12-17-years.html
Tatter, G. (2019, February 12). Tests and Stress Bias. Harvard Graduate School of Education; Harvard University. https://www.gse.harvard.edu/ideas/usable-knowledge/19/02/tests-and-stress-bias