Fitting in, loving oneself, and getting good grades are all concepts that teens struggle with on a daily basis, so what are some resolutions to alleviate this issue? Teenagers are at a stage in life where they are treated as children no longer and are expected to act with maturity; however, they are not necessarily given the same level of respect as adults, leaving teens to start their young adult phase with a sense of uneasiness.

Am I good enough? is a question teens often face. This question of self-doubt can be rooted in issues such as low self-esteem and incessant comparison to others. This constant feeling of uncertainty can lead to a variety of consequences, such as the rejection or limiting of certain opportunities; for instance, a teen might pass up on a valuable opportunity because they lack the necessary self-assurance. This is particularly unfortunate if it is an opportunity that might help the teenager grow or build valuable assets. I learned that one’s environment greatly shapes a person, but that it is up to each individual to search for the determination to grow on their own terms. During the jump from middle school to high school, I transferred schools and found myself in an entirely new environment. Before the first day of class, my head was full of worries and stresses that only intensified as each minute passed. Eventually, however, as more time went on, I realized that this brooding over something that hadn’t occurred yet was unnecessary and a major waste of time. I soon found out (the next day) that I was right. I made new friends immediately, met generous teachers, and? oh, no, the long-awaited tests and quizzes…

Tests and quizzes are dreaded by countless students, in large part because of their heavy impact on school grades. Students tend to study with no definite purpose other than to get a good grade. If I were to ask the question, ‘why should one study?’? I’d imagine most students would reply with, ‘to raise my GPA.’ However, if schoolwork is the main source of stress, why should one study? The answer is simple. If school equals stress (and also success), and success equals happiness, can it then be inferred that school equals happiness? (a=b and b=c, then a=c). Furthermore, tests and quizzes, in my opinion, are not made to strain a student but to aid in their education. They are utilized to discern a student’s level of improvement, which can be used to encourage a student’s desire for academic growth. The idea that “tedious” schoolwork might actually be helpful is a difficult concept to grasp, but if observed objectively, one can see that hard work pays off, and that school is a place to enhance one’s innate skills and develop strengths for the future. I cannot stress how significant it is to take advantage of resources and time and to plan for the time ahead.

Stress is inevitable, but does it have to be this way? I think not. The first step in reducing stress and maximizing productivity is to have a goal. Think ahead and have an agenda. Time management is another key strategy for limiting pressure. There are numerous ways to mitigate the effects of stress, but finding the right method is a matter of one’s own discovery. Someone once told me that the saying, “everything happens for a reason” is not a way in which one should view life because it does not let you control your own decisions but instead lets your surroundings seize your future from you; therefore, I believe in order to lessen the effects of stress, there should be a way in which you can find the qualities in stress to overcome its consequences.