It’s all about Balance

Stressed High School BoyThis is the time of year when everything is new. For some of us, it is even celebrated as the New Year. So we begin another school year, activities and even friendships with a renewed zeal. Fall is like that…however for many high school seniors, this is a very difficult and demanding time as the pressures of school, activities, friends and family strain are being coupled with the college application process.

Here is the picture-every Spring I talk to my juniors about how busy they will be come fall, and that they should do their best to prepare essays drafts and other college related tasks during the summer. They laugh it off, and head out my office door without any idea what will hit them come August.

August and now September have almost become a distant memory, while students try to balance the increasingly difficult job of doing it all. They are taking a full load, adding honors and AP courses so that their academic record stays strong, working on essay drafts that were put off, and can’t even see straight. After a mock interview with a student this week, I learned how much stress and panic they are really feeling.

In order to relieve some of their burden, we bite off small chunks throughout the months preceding the early application deadlines trying to unveil their true selves which can sometimes be hidden by all that they feel they need to accomplish. I work tirelessly to keep them on track and organized so that they can see their progress, and this really seems to help.

Feeding them a healthy diet and some words of comfort, making sure they exercise to relieve the stress and just being a good listener, can be the best medicine. They are still so young and eager to please; however, many seem to buckle under the enormous pressure. Trying to do well in classes, stay on top of their extracurriculars, figure out how to manage the new Common Application, all while writing creative and thoughtful application essays is a daunting task for even the most savvy teenager.

So, please, show them your love, support and encouragement and know that in a few months, they will be eagerly awaiting those admission decisions, which come with their own anxieties. Again, helping them to find the balance, knowing that they will go off to college!


Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *