Portland, Oregon, U.S.A – It is incredibly easy to become weighed down by the expectations – and pressures – that high school can put on you.
Whether it be a difficult course load or the stress induced by back-to-back tests, becoming overwhelmed by school is a common problem.
As a senior heading into my final year of high school, I feel your struggles. I understand how stressful this can all be.
But finding a hobby that doesn’t align with your future career can feel extremely freeing.
I started creative writing before my freshman year to help cope with a lot of the stresses of schoolwork. Each night, I would open my laptop, write a couple rough paragraphs, and push my stresses into short lines of text.
Once a week, a friend and I would work through our stories. In multiple docs, lines of text weaved into the other as our characters became more than a fun project.
Then junior year struck, and I stopped writing creatively. More specifically, I couldn’t find the time to write.
Assignments piled up as I tried to focus on doing well in school. I couldn’t figure out why I couldn’t find the same motivation to continue focusing on my schoolwork. I finished my work, but the quality of work dropped.
My stress grew exponentially.
I even remember conversations with friends where we regularly complained about our inability to write creatively.
“I still haven’t written yet,” I remember telling a friend. “I feel so tired.”
“Me too,” my friend admitted. “It’s so disappointing.”
I started writing creatively again at the end of the school year. Writing soaked up my stress like a sponge. In creative bursts, I could feel my hope and energy returning. I didn’t realize how important a role it played in me loving school.
Find the passions that can allow you to power through the most difficult moments of the school year. Look for something that can allow you to pull your stresses into a project.
It’s worth it.
Dana Kim is a Senior Reporter with Youth Journalism International.
