Have you ever found yourself trying to concentrate on your classes and homework but your mind is wrapped up in worry or persevering on an Anxiety provoking situation at home? 

Perhaps you have been through a traumatic event during which it was hard to concentrate at School or maybe you are a student who suffers from ongoing, chronic anxiety. 

Well, you need to know that you are not alone.  Many students and most adolescents suffer from anxiety, whether severe or mild, at some time or another. 

Today’s students need to manage many things: budgeting their time – sometimes balancing a work schedule with a school schedule – prioritizing their school workload, keeping appointments like live sessions, HR meetings and tutoring. 

The stakes are high and it seems that the academic pressure mounts each semester and each year.  Perhaps one more element of school life that needs considerable attention and management is a student’s anxiety. 

Anecdotally in my teaching at CalPac, I have noticed a surge in students contending with anxiety and its tendency to interfere with school performance.  Here are some recommendations I have found useful when it comes to dealing with anxiety:

Doctor’s Recommendations (American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry):

Talk about your fears and anxieties.  Anxiety is not something to be ashamed of or something to hide. Many people, both your age and older struggle with anxious thoughts, and it can be alleviating to share these feelings with others because, often times, others struggle or have struggled similarly. If you can’t share these feelings with your parents, then reach out to your Homeroom teacher or counselor or another trusted adult in whom you can confide.

“You are what you eat.”  Do your best to stick to a healthy diet.  Food is meant to nourish your body, and don’t forget that your brain is apart of that body and feels the effects of a poor diet as well. Eat lots of fruits and vegetables and other foods in moderation. Drink plenty of water every day and be wary of caffeinated beverages like soda, coffee – especially avoid energy drinks. While consuming multiple highly caffeinated beverages can be tempting to try and boost your energy levels, overdoing it can often result in an overload of anxious energy. If you are feeling like you are hitting a wall, try getting up and moving your body – this can be a great way to wake yourself up.

“You are what you think.”  We all struggle with insecurities and feel vulnerable at times.  These feelings are perfectly natural.  While it can be hard, try not to consistently dwell on the negative. A great way to combat this is by creating a list of affirmations about yourself and taping it to your bathroom mirror or your bedroom wall. When you are struggling, you can look at that list and be reminded of the things that are sometimes hard to remember when you having anxious thoughts. The more you concentrate on what is good and what you can do, the greater the chance that you will fulfill on positive outcomes. If you can’t seem to overcome negative and intrusive thoughts, reach out to somebody – whether it be a friend, a parent, or a counselor.

Teacher’s Recommendations

In a busy online school environment, many anxiety inducing things can be made manageable by putting a few easy things into practice. I have compiled my own actionable recommendations from a CalPac teacher perspective that I have seen work well for other students in order to avoid undo anxiety throughout the semester:

Set up a schedule. Because of the flexibility of online schooling, setting a schedule is going to be a task that falls more on you as student than it would in a traditional brick and mortar school setting. This doesn’t mean you are alone – your Homeroom teacher can help you with this!  Do your best to stick to a consistent schedule with dedicated time in your courses every single day, Monday – Friday. Find a time of day where you feel most productive and dedicate a period of your day to focusing on your work so that you can be sure to stay on track. For more tips on being successful in your online schooling while working from home, check out this article on tips for creating learning space in an at home environment.

Stay on pace. One of the best ways to avoid an onslaught of anxiety is to simply stay on pace. Following the previous tip of setting a schedule is a great start to this step. Remember, slow and steady wins the race! Incremental progress is much more substantial than a surge of frenzied effort at the end of a week or semester. It will ensure you are able to complete your coursework without the added stress of rushing through it due to a quickly impending deadline.

Get social! There are many ways to connect with the amazing CalPac staff and student body! Try out a club or student group,  come to Virtual Learning Hub, participate in Wednesday social hour, sign up for a field trip, and participate during live sessions. Just because socialization looks a bit different that it does in an in-person environment doesn’t mean the opportunities are not there, so make sure you are taking advantage of them!

Exercise – every day. Getting your body moving improves memory, bolsters the immune system and gives you energy.  Plus, if you are in PE class, a minimum of 40 minutes of daily physical activity is required – and the great thing is you can choose something you love to do! Go outside for a nature walk, head to the skate park, go play a game of soccer at the park! Things like this will keep your brain and your body feeling great!

Reach Out If You Are Struggling

While all of these tips and tricks can be very useful in avoiding school related anxiety, we recognize that sometimes further help is needed. Whether you are dealing with a crisis, continuously returning to intrusive and overwhelming thoughts, or just truly struggling, the faculty here at CalPac is here to support you. Never hesitate to reach out to a teacher, your counselor, or our school psychologist (see below).

Ms. Jocelin Jones (last names A-K)                
E: [email protected] 
P: (949) 308-7812
Office Hours: M-F 8am-4pm 

Tiffany Cozzi (last names L-Z)                       
E: [email protected]                       
P:(949) 427-6529                    
Office Hours: M-F 8am-4pm   

Ms. Sarah Diatta (12th Grade &11th Grade Foundations dropout Prevention)                    
E: [email protected]                     
P: (949) 652-2475               
Office Hours: M-F 9am-4pm                 

Victoria Law – School Psychologist                 
E: [email protected]                  
P: 949-652-7299   

Contact Us Today @ (855) 225-7227.
Email – [email protected]

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