Dealing with School Stress by Gehres

Dealing with School Stress by Gehres - April 2021 Scholarship Essay

“Do not stress about school!” These are five simple words that could have made all the difference five years ago. Back then, I was new to middle school and developing work habits that still define me today. I prioritized school above all else, to the point that I struggled to address the other areas of my life. I did not just want straight A’s, every assignment had to be flawless. My fear of failure kept me from living the more normal life that I wish I had. This simple advice would have improved my relationship with school, my friends, and myself.
I had never cared for anything in school other than my grades. I would learn the material and then forget it as soon as I could. If I had not stressed as much as I did, I would have been able to enjoy school more. The advice not to stress would have given me the rationale to slow down and appreciate what I was learning. Now that I am in high school, I have finally begun to focus on learning the material rather than finishing it. As my focus has shifted, my mood has improved, and my grades have been maintained. If only I had listened to this advice sooner, I would have been able to improve my education experience.
Because I let school take up all of my time, I rarely got to hang out with my friends. I would prioritize my assignments over being with my friends. I am grateful to have developed a strong work ethic, but I would spend hours perfecting my work. This wasted time could have been spent with friends. The advice not to stress would have given me the incentive to socialize more. I could have developed stronger connections to the people that I knew. Even now, I do not get to spend much time with my friends because of how time-consuming school is. I could balance my school and social life better if I only knew how to stress less.
I had become my own worst enemy. There was no requirement to have good grades. The only source of my stress was myself. I tried blaming anybody but me. Although I now realize that I am the only source of my stress, I cannot completely rid myself of the detrimental habits I have formed. I continue to overthink on all of my school assignments though I tell myself not to. If I began to manage my stress before it started, I could stop these habits from forming. A single piece of advice could have made me a happier person overall.
I may not be able to change my past nature, but it is never too late to start bettering myself. I actively work through my problems so that I do not look at my past with regret. I hope that someday the only advice I would need to give to myself is “keep doing what you are doing.”