How to Survive School Emotionally

Hey everyone! Hope summer has been good to all of you. Some of you may already be in school, and some of you, like me, may only be going back now. School can often be a huge stress--I know that it is for me. With both anxiety and depression, I have had to learn how to survive what can often be a grueling and tiresome process. For my benefit as well as yours, I have decided to make a post on some tips on how to survive school emotionally--some of these are academic, and some of them are not. No matter what, I hope they help!
Let me know in the comments if you have any tips!

1. Keep a calendar.

This can be on your phone, or in a planner. As someone who gets very anxious scheduling my time, I have a couple different calendars--I use google calendars to share my events with others, and a planner to schedule my schoolwork. Your planner can be anywhere from neat and color-coded, to so messy only you can understand it. As long as it keeps you organized, you'll feel a lot of stress taken off your shoulders.

2. Set aside alone time.

This is one of the hardest for me. Between school, extracurriculars, and wanting to hang out with friends, it can often be difficult to find time for yourself. Nonetheless, it doesn't have to be much. Make a list of relaxing things you enjoy, and do one of those a day. You can draw, write in your journal, take a bath, listen to music, and so much more! It can be as much as an hour or as little as ten minutes. I find this time is often best placed right when I get home.
3. Make an emergency list of things you can do at school to feel better.

I have one of these in the notes on my phone. Sometimes, anxiety or depression hits at the most inconvenient times, and with no game plan, it can be even more overwhelming than it already is. My list includes things like, "wash hands with cold water", "leave the room", "get a hug", and "doodle in notebook". Whatever you can do, no matter how little, can really help you release that negative energy.

4. Keep snacks in your locker/backpack.

This goes along with number three! Things sometimes suck. Those things will suck even more if you're hungry, and many of us can agree that school lunches aren't great. Packing a bunch of granola bars, and maybe some applesauce or fruit, can be a lifesaver on those days when you're close to meltdown. Along with this, I often keep a survival kit in my locker, with deodorant, tampons and pads, ibuprofen, and extras of my medication. Maybe even an umbrella or a change of clothes!

5. Stay on top of your work.

Ah, the dreaded one...don't procrastinate! This is an ongoing struggle for me in all pursuits, but if you can get your work done by when you're supposed to, DO IT. Having late work is NOT fun, and often makes you more stressed than you would have been doing it when it was due. Not only this, but if you have a mentally difficult day and you can't finish your work, your teacher will be more lenient if you have a good track record of doing good work on time.

6. Find study buddies or tutors.

These don't have to be people you pay. If you struggle in a subject, find a friend whose good at it, and stay after school or FaceTime. Don't let your work get the the best of you! Things will be easier later on if you understand. You can even make it fun--do it with people you like!

7. Get good sleep. 

This one is always difficult. Don't stay up until 3am playing Legend of Zelda, even though it makes you feel good! Pick a reasonable time (even midnight!) to go to bed, and try your best to stick you it. Create a sleep routine you can stick to, like drinking tea and reading your favorite book. If you have trouble sleeping, talk to your doctor--they can prescribe medication. When I struggled with insomnia, I ended up taking melatonin, a natural medication that really made a difference.

8. Make a School-Fighting Superteam!

What's going to work? TEAAAM WORK! Chances are, your friends are stressed about school as well. Make study groups! Hold each other to your deadlines! Encourage each other to sleep well and practice self-love! Recently, me and my friend were frustrated with college application essays, so we made a google document called "Essay Editing Squad" and looked over each other's essays, giving encouragement and constructive criticism. Having people you can vent to and get help from can be a lifesaver when you feel down or overwhelmed.

9. Stock up on hot chocolate, tea, or beverage of choice.

I don't know what it is, but drinking something while working always makes me feel like an aesthetically-lovely, productive studyblr blogger. And in turn, this helps me get my work done! On top of that, many teas are made to help calm you down. You can even bring a drink to school if it helps relax you!

10. Bring headphones.

Sometimes, the hustle and bustle of the school hallways can be too much. Don't plug into headphones in class, but once you reach the hallway, music is fair game. Listen to your favorite pump-up tracks if you need a pick-me-up, or calming things if you're feeling stressed. Music can be so helpful!

SORCERA: THE ALTERNATE UNIVERSE

Hello, everyone! I hope you've all had a lovely summer! Today I'd like to share with you something I thought would be fun. When I get writer's block, I often take the characters from my current novel, Sorcera, and rewrite them into a different story. It's very exciting--like I'm writing fanfiction for my own book.
Here is a little Road Trip AU that I wrote for my characters. They are a few short, sweet moments I wanted to capture. Let me know what you think!

[POV: Nicole]

The van is hot, and we are a sweltering mess of sweat and snark. I’m in the driver’s seat, as usual, and Adele is next to me; she has the window rolled down, and one hand hanging out.

“You’re going to get your arm snapped off.” I say. She uses her free hand to tip her sunglasses down her nose and grin, then replies, “Gotta live on the edge, Nicole.”

There are two rows of seats in the back, but Malone and Bambi are both shoved into the one nearest to us; the row furthest back is crowded with sustenance and supplies.

“Are you sure the air conditioner is on?” Bambi is sprawled out, her legs over Malone’s lap; he seems disgruntled but doesn’t move--he has previously stated that movement just makes the heat worse.

“I’m sure, Bambi. You’ve asked me to check about seven times.” I glance at the dial on the dashboard anyway though; wishful thinking. The van’s air conditioning is weak and doing nothing to help with the humidity. “Drink some more water.”

“How far are we from the campground?” Malone groans. I sigh, looking exasperatedly at Adele; Malone and Bambi are the king and queen of ‘Are we there yet?’.

“It can’t be long now.” Adele sighs, looking at the map. “We’ve been driving for hours. I’m guessing another two.”

“Nicole…” Bambi pulls her hair into a knot on top of her head and pauses to chug from a plastic water bottle. “Can’t you drive any faster?”

“Any faster and I’ll be breaking the law.”

“Maybe Adele should drive.”

“Maybe I should,” Adele chuckles. “I’d break the law for you, Bambi dearest. I swear on my driver’s license.”

“Don’t go ganging up on Nicole now, she’s doing her best.” Malone muttered. “I don’t trust Adele behind the wheel.”

“Hey, fuck you!” Adele turns and points accusingly at Malone. “Not like you’re doing anything useful!”

“I organized the supplies and stuff, remember?” Malone gestures to the incredibly messy pile of shit in the seat behind him. There’s a pause before we all start to laugh.

“Okay but seriously Nicole, pull over. You drive like a grandma.” Adele grins at me, and I groan but comply.

“Don’t blame me when you get us all killed.”

“I’ll be sure to apologize when I see you at the pearly gates.”

The cloudless blue sky has changed to a dark night, stars twinkling above the open desert road; it is cooler now, and they’re the only ones on the road. There are mountains in the distance, and there should be a town coming up, but now they’re just happy to be driving.

Adele is in the driver’s seat; she likes to drive at night, because she can go at whatever speed she wants. Bambi is next to her, curled up in a ball and listening to music; it’s something uplifting and hopeful, Bastille or Edward Sharpe or The Wombats. It’s a miracle she has yet to fall asleep, but Adele is sure it will happen within the hour.

In the backseat, Malone and Nicole are curled up together. It’s obvious that Nicole had pretended not to want to cuddle with her boyfriend, but gave in to the impulse when she was too tired to continue to be stubborn. She is now leaning against his chest, and his arms are around her. Malone’s oversized jacket is being used as a blanket, not that they really need it; the temperature is perfect for sleep.

Adele keeps driving, but knows she’ll probably pull over soon and get her own rest. They have another day of adventure ahead, and it could bring anything.

There it is! Just a couple small, unfiltered things that I wanted to share. See you all next week!

-Tasman