School can be very stressful this time of year for many students. With half the year almost done and finals just around the corner, many students may find themselves in need of a few tips to help alleviate some of the stress caused by everyday school life.

Stop procrastinating.
We’ve all been there and have done it too many times. The feeling of not wanting to write that essay or start that project that was assigned last month. Unfortunately, deadlines won’t change and allow for more time once we’ve finally decided to start.
If school work is started once it’s first assigned, there won’t be nearly as much pressure or stress to have something completed by a certain date.
It would be a good idea to write everything school related in a personal journal or planner so that there is something physical to see rather than relying solely on your memory.

Sleep.
Often times, students think that sleep isn’t that important and won’t have an effect on them if their caffeine intake is high that day. The truth is, sleep is a crucial factor that can alleviate or add to levels of stress.
Teenagers need at least eight to 10 hours of sleep to be able to function properly, according to sleepfoundation.org, so when we procrastinate, we lose many precious hours of sleep. Not only does this result in a lower attention span the next day, but it also means that your quality of work will be lower as well.
If there is less procrastination in your school life, hopefully there will be more time created to get more sleep. As soon as you finish your homework for the night, put your phone down. You’ll most likely go to sleep faster when you have nothing to look at. It always feels great to wake up in the morning feeling refreshed instead of dead tired.

Be positive.
Keeping a positive attitude about your school work is an important piece in keeping stress levels low.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed with all of the assignments you have to do, try to have a positive outlook on them. If you’re constantly thinking that you won’t be able to complete assignments on time, you will actually start to believe that you aren’t capable, when in reality you are.
Try to get in the habit of using positive affirmations when doing homework. Try thinking “it’s not that bad”, “get it over with now instead of later”, or “you will be done sooner than you think”. Always tell yourself that you can.

Do something you enjoy.
Ranging from sports, hanging out with friends or family to simply walking home by yourself, do something you enjoy often. Nothing says stress relief like going to see a movie or going to the mall.
Make sure to dedicate a day or at least a few hours every few days to having fun, doing something you love whether it be with friends, a partner or even by yourself.
Taking some time for yourself to relax is just as important as any other thing on this list, so don’t feel guilty about it.