Feel better about going into your school day with these ideas. It wont ever be easy, but you can give yourself an advantage over the crowd!

PS: If you’re a parent, consider sharing these tips with your child.

Mountains of homework

If you’re headed into high school for the first time, homework can feel overwhelming. And if you are returning… it only gets harder as you progress!

Different teachers give different types of assignments and use different systems. It’s totally normal to feel lost at first.

Avoid falling behind by staying organized, in a way that works for you. Try keeping an agenda or To-Do List. Or try putting everything into your Google Calendar.

If those dont work, experiment until you find a system that actually fits how you operate.

Anxiety-inducing crushes

You have a crush on a classmate and you can’t focus in class. You’re obsessed with who they’re talking to, what they’re doing, and what they’re thinking. Not to mention – how you can get them to notice you.

Getting a crush is normal. But remember to be honest with yourself and others! They may not return your feelings, they might be taken, or they may be completely out of reach. You might not even be ready for a relationship. And that’s okay.

Be respectful of their boundaries and gentle with your own heart. Enjoy the feeling, but dont put too much pressure on it.

Boyfriend/girlfriend relationships

Dating in high school is rough. You need to juggle time with your friends, your significant other, and schoolwork. And make sure you respect your parents boundaries and rules for your dates.

Sometimes your parents may not even approve of them, and if neither of you drive it can be hard to see each other outside of school!

The key to a healthy relationship is open communication and honesty. That means with everyone involved – with your BF/GF, with your parents, mutual friends, and even yourself!

You shouldn’t feel afraid to tell your significant other you need to spend time with other friends or doing work.

And you should not have to worry that your BF or GF will drop you for listening to your parents or friends. A good fit will understand, and pushing against your loved ones needs can be a red flag.

Thinking about college

As you enter high school, you may start thinking about college, or your future career. You might feel pressure from parents or peers. 

It is okay not to know or have it all planned out. Most people change paths a few times throughout high school, college, and even after that!

Take classes that fulfill your interests and speak with a counselor to set reasonable goals.

Exam stress

High school throws a big curveball with exams. The tests given in high school are designed to challenge you, sometimes more than the ones in college. You may receive a bad grade for the first time.

Don’t be discouraged. Getting a bad grade doesn’t mean you aren’t smart, and its important to challenge thoughts like that.

Make sure to reach out to peers or teachers if you need help. Your school may even offer a tutoring program led by other students!

School dances

High school dances can be filled with chaos and anxiety. You may worry about asking someone to the dance, or not being asked yourself.

Putting yourself out there is hard. Don’t fret if you face rejection, and consider going with a group of friends! You will make memories with the people who matter, even if they aren’t the one person you were pining for.

Sports: trying out and time management

Your high school may offer competitive sports or other athletic activities to help you make friends and build your interests. Team practices and games can suck up a lot of your time, but are definitely fun as well.

Consider trying out for the team and remember to manage your time wisely. If you don’t get in the first time it’s okay! Many people try again and get in the next year, anyway.

In the meantime, you will get to build some other interests!

Clubs and extracurriculars

As you become more independent you start to develop your own interests and hobbies.

Join 2-3 clubs that fit your interests and then stick with the ones that you really like! Don’t overwhelm yourself with club activities, and try to have fun exploring new things.

New campus, new schedule

Whether you’re a freshman or a senior, a new schedule is disorienting. Finding your way around campus can be confusing and frustrating.

If you really want to avoid the chaos, spend some time with a map of your classes and buildings before the first day of school. You could even try going and walking through your schedule in person.

If you still get lost, try asking peers or a teacher if they can point you in the right direction. 

Friend drama

Although not a new thing in high school, drama with your friends can feel even more hurtful now. Rumors can spread and it’s easy for things to get out of hand.

Try to be upfront with your friends about how you feel. There may have been a miscommunication that snowballed into a huge fight. Listen to their side of the story, and also realize that no friendship is without arguments.

Worst case scenario, you may find that your current friends fail to treat you how you deserve. If that is the case, try branching out to people who seem like they share similar ideals for how to treat friends.

Battling bullies

Every school has bullies. They may tease you for anything they get their hands on, at no fault of your own. Step one is to try ignoring them until they get bored. But that does not always stop things.

Reach out to an adult if you feel unsafe and need help. There is no shame in knowing when others are crossing your boundaries.

Remember to rest

As you get busier, you may find yourself sacrificing sleep and feeling more drained.

Prioritize yourself! Sleep affects memory, appetite, and mood. Don’t hesitate to take a break, whether it means taking a nap or doing an emotional staycation come the weekend.

Feeling alone vs. fitting in

You may feel like you don’t belong to this or that group. Cliques can make you feel even more isolated from your peers.

This is totally normal and happens for a number of reasons. You may be more mature for your age, or perhaps you just haven’t met others in the school who click with you.

Keep an open mind and stay positive. We guarantee, you do belong somewhere. It is just a matter of finding that place.

And speaking of finding a place to feel understood: if you want to vent some of these struggles, reach out to your understanding peers at Supportiv to feel validated and heard. Its 24/7 and troll-free.