By Emily Ottinger | Staff writer
In this day and age, being a teenager seems like its never been harder. Between school and work, teens barely have time to relax.
“Wake up, morning routine, school, homework, sleep, and repeat,” said Justin Gordon, a medical science senior.
Many teens today have schedules that push them the limit.
“I have a full school schedule with seven classes a day, and I’m taking AP English Lit. and AP Calculus,” said Alyssa Stearns, Comprehensive senior.
Along with school, teens are employed with part-time jobs, involved in extracurricular activities, and may have other commitments as well.
“My overall schedule is very…scheduled,” said Gordon.
So why are teens overwhelming themselves? The pressure is coming from the constant competition to get into college, according to bozemanmagazine.com. Teens are overwhelming themselves to look appealing for college.
“My overall stress level has increased as high school has progressed and the more challenging classes, extracurricular activities, etc. that I’ve added to my schedule,” said Stearns.
Five times as many students are dealing with anxiety and other mental-health issues than youth of the Great Depression, stated by Oregonlive.com. With the constant pressure of school, students are putting themselves in a hole that many can’t dig out of.
So how are teens managing their hectic schedules? Having time management skills is one of the most important skills teens can have to help eliminate some of the pressure of school, according to webmd.com
“ I manage my classes by staying organized, being mentally prepared for every class, and trying desperately not to procrastinate,” said Stearns.
Students also should not be afraid to ask for help when feeling overwhelmed.
“To relieve stress, students should ask as many questions as possible, if you don’t know something just ask,” said Joel Sinden Indian Trail High School and Academy counselor.