High school students often experience significant pressure throughout their academic career. This pressure may come from family expectations, teachers, peer groups or social media.
Mariah Harris, 12, has experienced various pressures related to academic success in High School. These pressures included peer influence, parental expectations and the pressure from teachers to demonstrate immediate comprehension of new material.
“My mom thinks she knows what goes on at school and what my school work is like, she will tell me a class isn’t hard as if she takes it,” Harris said.
Social media significantly influences students’ perception of school and academic performance. It often shows the necessity of achieving a 4.0 GPA for success. It can also create the idea that poor results on a test warrant negative consequences.
“Social media is a place where you can see everyone and everything,” Harris said.
Sometimes the brain and body need time to take a break and relax. This is extremely important because it helps manage stress, lowers risk of illness and can also increase energy.
¨My favorite thing to do when I’m stressed out is to go home and relax and watch a show or movie,¨ Harris said.
Although classes may cause pressure, stress and anxiety, teachers can also be very good at helping relieve these feelings, as they were once students too.
¨I think teachers and counselors checking up on us is very helpful,¨ Harris said.
Fabian Ship, 11, has also experienced pressures from parents, teachers and even himself to keep up good grades.
¨My parents like when I get good grades and I feel pressure to do so,¨ Ship said.
Finals week can also be one of the most stressful weeks as students experience stress to do well on their last tests and assignments.
“The last few weeks feel packed with a whole lot of tests, so that causes a lot of pressure,¨ Ship said.
Sometimes as students we just need a little bit of inspiration to get us through the last few weeks and get through the pressure.
¨The last few weeks are going to be a struggle, you just have to push through them, no shortcuts,¨ Ship said.
Many teenagers feel pressure during school, whether it’s getting a good grade or if it’s making new friends.
“But sometimes you have to just buckle down and get it done,¨ Ship said.
