Life of a Stressed High School Student: experiencing the little joys in life

It’s been awhile since I have last posted. Maybe that will be the opening sentence for each blog of this series. It seems quite fitting; sorry to the other five family members for postponing my blog post date for the past couple weeks, or months. Maybe I’m just a master procrastinator, but I also can definitely say that I have been drowning in schoolwork. Finals are this week and my classmates and I are frantically trying to prepare while not having mental breakdowns. I used to think the juniors were being dramatic when I was a freshman with finals. Now, I realize how they seemed to handle the stress with much grace compared to me! Anyway, this so far feels like I’m ranting about the craziness of school, which I guess I am, but I really wanted to talk about activities stressed out high school students can do that take us away from grades, homework, and the terrifying storm of finals coming our way. I compiled a list of things to do that don’t take up a lot of necessary homework time but rather take you away from it for a moment to relax and appreciate the little joys in life.

1. Watch the Sunset

   Going outside to see the prettiest moment of the day can be a perfect escape after spending a day inside studying.

2) Bake a quick treat:

Baking can help focus your mind on solely making a delicious treat. Here is a recipe for Annie’s cupcakes, and here is a recipe for Ali’s peanut butter cookies!

3) Spend time with your family even if you only have a couple minutes to spare

My mom and I have been consistently playing ping pong as we recently got a ping pong table for Christmas. Thanks, Santa ;) . On a busy day full of studying and doing homework, doing an activity with a loved one, no matter how silly , can create a brief moment of laughter and happiness that makes the whole day a lot better.

4) Go outside and exercise

Getting a breath of fresh air and working out will give you just the motivation and energy to continue working throughout the day! This is a big reason why I love running after school!

I hope any of these activities sound appealing to you and help you get through the stressful weeks of school

-angie