Content warning: Academic stress/anxiety
I am writing this letter to express my struggles with mental health these past few weeks due to exams in school.
Last week, I had AP exams, which took a severe toll on my mental health. I would constantly study, and when I wasn’t, I felt guilty because I felt that I could be spending time relaxing on studying instead. Because of this, I experienced a massive burnout, and after my exams, I felt unmotivated to complete any other tasks that I may have needed to complete. This led to further stress because I would complete my assignments late at night, often procrastinating in an attempt to give myself a break. Due to this method of working, I constantly felt stressed out and did not put my best effort into my schoolwork, which was reflected in my grades. However, I realized that my method of working was not efficient because there was no structure to it. Rather than systematically planning out my tasks, I did them spontaneously, which led to more procrastination and work that was not of my best quality. To combat this issue, I began to plan out my days better by dedicating specific frames of time to specific tasks, as well as leaving room for breaks.
Through this method, I was able to complete work quicker, giving myself more time for pursuing other opportunities that I may not have had time for had I not planned my day. This has given me more time for relaxation and spending time with my loved ones, and I plan to continue this system as I finish the school year and into the future as well.
