By: Emma B.
School can be pretty miserable at times. We’ve talked about
bullying before but there are so many other types of school drama that go
beyond teasing and insults. Grades, politics, moving and day to day friend
support can be a lot to take on. However the situation isn’t completely
hopeless. There are many things you can do to remove stress and I will be
explaining the many things I do to remove school drama from my life.
1.
Be
Supportive without being Overbearing:
Let’s say your friend has been dealing with a lot of issues at
home and is trying her best to be herself at school. It can be easy to get
caught up in the problem and then your friendship can end up in some horrible
places.
First of all, if you are having this kind of trouble, remember
what the root of the problem is: that your friend is having a problem. As long
as you remember this, you can stay level-headed and objective. If your mind is working straight,
you can be sure you can best figure out how to help. If your friend asks for
advice then by all means, help them in the best way you can. Giving supportive
friendly advice can be the best way to aid if your friend is suffering, but
there is always too much of a good thing. Give your friend advice only when she
asks for it and if you constantly ask your friend if they are okay then you run
the risk of making your friend feel worse. Be supportive but don’t be
overbearing.
Now, despite what I just said, I do feel you should check on
your friend often. If it feels like it’s getting too much for you to handle
then it probably is. There should always be an adult on hand to talk to if you
feel like someone else needs to step in to help. If you can’t talk to your
parents, reach out to the guidance counselor at school or a teacher – they can
help get your friend the right kind of help at home.
2.
Get
Good Grades but don’t Abuse Yourself:
Let’s say, you’re walking into school. You just took a huge test
yesterday and you are on the ultimate freak out trip because you’re concerned
about your grade. You sit through class (watching the clock with bated breath)
until finally you get your grade. You see your grade is a B. Most people would
consider that a reasonable grade but you begin to cry. Why, you might ask? Maybe
your parents expected better or maybe all of your friends are saying they got
an A on that easy test! Whatever the reason you start to breakdown. Now if
you’ve been in this situation, let me be the first to tell you to that you are
not alone. I know a lot of people who constantly over-stress themselves and
consider a 93% barely passing. Even though it is important to study hard in
school, it’s actually unhealthy to never take a break. Over-working yourself
actually wears out your brain and thus makes it hard to focus.
So what is hitting the perfect balance of pleasure and school
work? Well, one tip that seems to help my friends is finding after school
activities. After school activities can help even out your stress and make it
easier to tackle the homework load. Sports, band, drama club or even a book
club can help you take a break and relax. Another tip I would suggest it to
stay organized. I keep ahead of my workload and often I will knock out homework
at school. I know this may seem like horrible waste of free time but doing my
work at school removes my stress for later. I stay on top of what I have to get
done and I it works great!
3. Politics
I know this may seem very strange, but often politics can spark
a lot of controversy at school. Take for example the election of this year. I
have a personal story I’d love to share from my school. Recently I was watching
CNN Student News in my class and they brought up the elections. Ted Cruz had suspended his campaign and
suddenly the class fell into chaos.
In regards to politics, I have two major pieces of advice. The
first is to avoid talking about it in social situations. Everyone has an
opinion and chances are that it’s not the same as yours. The second is to make
sure you are getting your information from a reliable source of information and
do your research. An educated argument is always stronger and usually the best
way to quiet an intense discussion.
4. Moving
Away
This can be hard when you and/or your friends move and leave you
behind. There are lots of things you can do to cope with this.
First, get your friend’s information! I have had many friends
move away over the years and I was able to salvage a lot of them. Simply having
someone’s phone number gave me many options for staying in touch. Using
technology with text, social media and email is a great way to connect when you
miss someone! Second, I recommend to try to hang out with your friend right
before they leave. Making those last memories with your friend is so important
and can last a lifetime. It also gives you one more opportunity to give them
your email or snail mail address so you can communicate. Finally, stay close to
other family and friends. This is so you have people who can support you and
help you while you’re a bit depressed. All these things combined can go miles
to cope with events like this.
In conclusion, school drama is school drama. The best thing
about it is that a lot of the time you it doesn’t have to come home with you.
Even it if it does, you have your family to help you through it. That’s
probably the biggest thing to remember. You family and friends can get you
through the worst of things and they all eventually pass. Overall, I say the
best tip is to be true to yourself and find loyal friends. This way if school
drama rolls around you will survive through it.
Thanks so much for this, Emma! I'll make sure to keep this in mind for the next school year! :)
ReplyDeleteWOW...Emma. I knew that you would be a published author!!! Your writing is wonderful, and I hear your "voice" throughout each and every word! I'm proud of you for sharing your thoughts so that others can benefit from your advice!! Way to go!
ReplyDelete