Dear Ani,

  The list of things that make students feel like they are drowning at school and home is endless. It is a bottomless pit that I feel like I cannot escape.

  How am I supposed to manage everything all at once? I would much rather spend my time hanging out with my friends than doing any amount of school work. I get all of my assignments in relatively on time, but it is at the point where I am starting to not care that much anymore.

 When I was little, I loved going to school, and I would wake up ready to run out the door. Once middle school hit, I dreaded it. Some middle schoolers are evil little people. Middle school changed almost everyone.

  My friends became different people who deliberately looked the other way when passing in the hallway. People I did not even know turned into closer friends, and life just went downhill.

  A few students would pick on others and point out their insecurities just to make themselves feel better. Bullying soared to an all new level that was nothing like what elementary school was. Then we changed more when high school hit.

  Some people seemed to get their act together and others did not. My former classmates took harder classes, and I stayed in classes that I felt were appropriate for me. It made me feel like I was not good enough or smart enough to be friends with them anymore.

   The friends that I kept did become very close with me, and I have two or three very good ones.

  Furthermore, the school is constantly pressuring to pick a major, and decide my life for after high school. I am not ready. I am too young to pick what I want to be for the rest of my life.

  I am unprepared for college, too. Some teachers tell me that college is all learning on your own, but then do not help that much in giving students a taste of what it actually is like.

  There are just so many factors in my life that make it hard for me to want to go to school or do my assignments. How do I change this?

   If the straw keeps piling on my back, it will break. Please help me try to organize my life.  

Thank you,

Broken Student

Dear Broken Student,

  You are not alone. Some other students feel exactly this way and are in similar situations. For school to be enjoyable, you have to make it enjoyable.

  Find something that brings happiness into the school day and hang on to it. Whether that thing is art, a class, or a sport, do not let any person take away the thing that brings happiness to a day.

  As far as not wanting to do the assignments, sometimes things have to be done that some do not want to do. It comes down to discipline. Give it everything and just know that high school is not forever. In a few years, when walking across the stage at graduation, smile and say “I made it.”

  There is not much to do about the not-so-nice people in someone’s life. At least one person in another’s life will not be kind. It is just the way it goes.

  Having even just one great friend, no matter who it is, is better than having a whole group of fake ones. If that one friend would do more than that group combined then cherish that person forever. It is not a bad thing; quality over quantity is an important thing.

  Eventually, bullies will have to mature and get over their insecurities, but until that day, it cannot get in your head. Overcome the hate.

   For the students interested in enrolling in a college, the deadlines are quickly approaching. Becoming prepared will not happen overnight. Sometimes there is just a learning curve. To get past the hard times, push through. After a while, it will come naturally.

  Lastly, all the stressors in a person’s life do pile up, and one way to manage this is to take a step back. Remove the stress for a little bit, and think about the best option moving forward.

  Maybe the best solution is to stop doing an activity that causes unneeded stress or to talk to a professional. Letting out all the things that might be hidden under the surface could be a great way to sort out the important things. Even talking to a parent, friend, or teacher will help to organize the pieces in terms of priority.

 For some, stopping an activity that they participate in is seen as taboo. It is as if quitting is the worst thing ever. It is not. If something is unpleasant then it is unneeded. Happiness is key to living life to the fullest.

Kind Wishes,

Ani