School Stress Isn’t Just for Children – It’s All of Us!
So, I came across this question on Quora today, and it really got me thinking:
“I’m really struggling with secondary school. I’m totally burnt out, super stressed, and even considering quitting. Is that a horrible idea?”
How do you feel after reading that? If you’re like me, as an adult, it might be easy to brush off – “Eh, it’s just school. We’ve all been there, right?” Maybe we’re too grown-up to relate?
But then, I thought back to the time I switched jobs and had to carry out a bunch of brand-new responsibilities… I totally felt like that stressed-out student. The weight of something new and big? It’s very real.
Curious to know if this was just an isolated event or a common issue, I did some research. It turns out that it’s not just an isolated case. In fact, a survey by STEM4, a youth mental health charity, indicated that nearly one-third of UK secondary students avoid school due to anxiety [1]. That statistic hits me hard. And, unfortunately, this isn’t the worst part.
Stress might be considered good, like preparing for the prom, or bad, like preparing for an upcoming test. Most stress usually goes away once the external event causing the stress is over. However, some stresses can linger longer and transform into long-lasting anxiety. As an adult, you might have forgotten the stress you felt when starting a new school or a new academic year. But what you may not realise is that the stress from decades ago can still be hanging around.
The Irish Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (IACP) notes that “the origins of anxieties vary greatly but, in some cases, it relates back to events in a person’s early life.” This was supported by research from Disord J. Affect, which found that “the presence of anxiety disorder during adolescence also predicted a two-to-threefold increased risk for anxiety in adulthood.” [2]
So, school stress isn’t just a “young person” problem. The pressure doesn’t magically disappear when you toss your cap at graduation. So, what we can do as adults? The key is to understand their stress and support them through the transition.
Checklist for Secondary School Stress
Harvard Summer School put together a helpful checklist of signs to watch for in stressed secondary school students [3]. Does your child show any of these signs since starting secondary school? Keep in mind that some symptoms can be invisible or might be considered normal for teens who are also dealing with natural hormonal and physical changes.
- Feeling more agitated, anxious, short-tempered, or depressed
- Getting sick more often
- Having more headaches, stomach aches, or other aches and pains
- Feeling more tired than usual
- Not being able to sleep, or sleeping too much
- Skipping meals or overeating
- Neglecting chores or hobbies
- Trouble concentrating and forgetfulness
- High blood pressure
How to Make the Shift to Secondary School Easier for Your Child?
School stress can come from all sorts of things – academics, social pressures, family issues, or big life changes. Ultimately, it can be concluded as losing a sense of empowerment and leaving a familiar environment and social connections.
So, how can you help your child adjust to secondary school if they’re struggling? Build a sense of empowerment. Empowerment means giving children the tools, confidence, and freedom to take charge of their own lives. This sense of empowerment will help them confidently navigate challenges as they face new surroundings and situations.
Another key approach is keeping some things the same during a big change [4]. Familiar environments and steady social circles can go a long way in reducing stress. That’s why many parents choose to keep their children enrolled in art-K’s weekly classes during this transition and beyond.
At art-K, we focus on the process, not perfection. We encourage students to take the lead and make their voice heard through art creation – even if their art goes in unexpected directions (that’s the beauty of art, isn’t it?) By doing this, we help young artists build confidence and a sense of empowerment, which supports them not only in their creative journey but in other aspects of life as well.
We also treat everyone individually; sometimes our teenagers come to our studios and they’re sad – and that’s OK. They’re in a safe space where they can feel the emotions they’re feeling, without judgment. Our secondary school classes (11+) and our advanced art classes (13+) have a different energy and environment from our mixed age groups which creates a deeper bond between our students.
Year after year, we watch art-K students grow – not just in their art skills but in so many other ways. From their first art class to their advanced art classes, we’re with them at every important stage. Many of our students form close, lasting friendships here. This stable social circle, built around shared interests and values, provides them with a sense of psychological safety. And the interpersonal skills they develop in our studios often help them make new friends in school too.
Written by: Qi Wang
Edited and reviewed by: Emily Harper
Reference Resources:
[3] https://summer.harvard.edu/blog/managing-stress-in-high-school/
[4]https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/stressful-lives/201708/dealing-stress-school-in-age-anxiety
