Q: How am I supposed to deal with the stress that I get from having so many challenging classes? “Better time management” just isn’t doing the job.
A: Odds are, you’re stressed because you’re in the higher-level classes, and the reason you’re in those classes is because you have big dreams. Let your goals be your motivation rather than your stressor. If that doesn’t work, then you should start taking some “you time.” Step away from the textbooks, the notes and the laptop; turn on your favorite song and dance around a little bit. Just make sure that you don’t procrastinate all of your time away. That’s when anxiety and sleep deprivation show up in your life, and they’ll only make things worse.
Q: How do I get over an unavailable person?
A: This one is never a fun situation because there’s nothing you can do to change what already is. First off, don’t try to sabotage the relationship. You need to let them be happy. Then, you need to start thinking about yourself. What makes you happy? Find an activity that you’re passionate about and immerse yourself in it. Also, spend a lot of time with your friends and family. Tell them what’s going on and go have fun with them. It’ll be difficult, but the world doesn’t revolve around a single person, and you’d be surprised by the other opportunities out there. Good luck!
Q: So, I don’t eat breakfast in the morning, and I don’t eat lunch at school. I eat later on in the day, but not a whole lot. Does that mean I’m anorexic, or am I okay?
A: It would be safer for you to start packing simple, healthy snacks for school. If you aren’t really hungry, you should eat less filling foods such as celery or oranges. Your brain will tell the rest of your body that you’re going into starvation mode, and your body will start to eat off of the body fat you currently have and produce even more. This leads to malnutrition, dehydration, constant tiredness and a major change in mood. If you eat in the morning, you’ll be able to concentrate better in your classes. Bottom line: don’t miss your meals.
Q: I’m confused about who I should be in high school and what groups I should fit into. How do I just fit in or become comfortable with myself?
A: Start hanging around people that make you a better ‘you’. Although you don’t know who you are yet, when you hang around certain people, your gut may tell you that it’s not a good situation for you personally. Don’t force yourself to hang out with people or participate in activities that you don’t enjoy but don’t be afraid to try new things. The more you explore the world and different interests, the more you’ll find out about yourself.
Q: How do I talk to my crush more? It’s always awkward when we do…
A: If you both like each other and you know it, just act calm when you’re around them. If you guys are having that much of a difficulty finding things to talk about, then maybe it’s just not meant to be. The worst thing that will happen is that things won’t work out and at that point, the best thing would be to just move on and find someone you can be yourself around and be comfortable with. Truthfully, if there’s that much of a struggle with communication, that would be a much better solution. Don’t waste your time on that person when you could be spending it finding someone better; don’t keep watering a dead flower and take care of yourself.
– By Anna Welsh and Eva Willauer