Online School: does it really have to be this stressful?

 Let's be honest, as crucial as school is, it's not always the best for our mental health. And this holds especially true during the pandemic, where online school has become the new norm for most of us.

While I understand that it's the only alternative for now, it's no secret that online school has become a burden of sorts, with most of us feeling more unenthusiastic for classes than we ever were when school was taking place physically. And let's not even pretend that online learning is even comparable to "normal" school (is it even accurate to call physical school, "normal" at this point") because it's really not. And staring at our laptop screens for 6 hours straight for school, followed by us either consuming some form of media through our devices or trying to study/complete our assignments (with the help of our laptops usually) isn't at all healthy either. 

It seems as though our parents (and teachers) are under the belief that, because we're allowed to attend school from the comfort of our own rooms (and sometimes our own beds, if we're being honest), this is the best possible situation for most of us. And maybe for some people, it is. But I know most of us do not feel that way. What makes it worse is that, often, teachers will make us join meetings or workshops, with very little warning and we are, usually, expected to join, even if it's technically after school hours. This makes resting hard, because there appears to be this idea that we're required to be available on WhatsApp almost all day, everyday. And if you're anything like me, missing classes (or anything school-related honestly) can often make you feel really anxious or antsy. So clearly, this is a lose-lose situation.

Now, I'm not saying we should boycott our academics; I think this is just another hurdle we must overcome, and we need to make sure our academics do not take a hit, despite the circumstances experienced by us, at this point of time. We'll probably need to work harder than we ever have before, as an amalgamation of being in the 12th grade (for me, personally, at least) and being amidst a global pandemic, with us hopefully seeing the fruits of our labour in the end. However, that being said, it is extremely detrimental to your own psychological well-being for you to NOT take care of yourself, to not prioritise yourself or to not take breaks whenever necessary. 

Here are some of the most effective ways to make sure you’re taking care of yourself, during online school as a highschool student: 

1. Rest

I know this one sounds obvious and I also understand that sometimes it feels like you "don't have enough time to rest". I often find myself at the receiving end of this, where I feel guilty for even taking naps. But it's necessary to understand that your productivity rate will once increase IF you are well rested. 

2. Set REALISTIC goals

Sometimes, we truly overestimate how much we can achieve in 24 hours, and when we (naturally) fail to reach those expectations, it tends to lower our morale. Don’t stress if you can’t achieve everything all at once. As long as you're working towards your goals TODAY, it's completely okay. Every day doesn't have to be a highly intense or productive one; sometimes just achieving one or two goals is good enough!

3. Get some fresh air

This can be in the form of just sitting on your balcony and reading a book, going for a long walk and listening to music or just spending 20-30 minutes in your society, as long as you're out of your house. In my opinion, this should be done every single day.

4. It's okay to have fun

As long as you're not severely neglecting your other work, there is no reason for you to be allowed to take some time off your day and do something you genuinely enjoy. For me, this would be reading or watching Netflix, but it can really be any hobby that isn't directly academically-related and that you thoroughly love doing (but maybe feel like you don't have enough time to do).

5. Meet your friends

While it IS important to make sure you're safe and not furthering the spread of the virus, it is also immensely important to meet your friends. You don't have to meet them every day if that makes you uncomfortable, but meeting SOMEONE, other than the people at your house, at least once a week is just the healthiest thing for you to do, from my personal experience. 

6. Go easy on yourself and never be afraid to ask for help

This one's self-explanatory, but the truth is we all tend to hold ourselves to  - at times - unrealistic expectations and that is truly damaging. Sometimes, we need to be kind to ourselves the same way we're kind to our friends and family. And sometimes, the best way to do this is by offloading your stress by asking for help, from people you KNOW will be happy enough to give you help, in any way they can (e.g. trusted teachers, parents or friends). Asking for help doesn’t make you weak, crazy or just untalented, but rather, it shows strength and makes you human. 

7. Set boundaries, with yourself and with other people

Keep some time ONLY for yourself, where you only cater to your own needs, away from your phone (or anything similar, like social media or Netflix/YouTube for example). If you don't want to reply to people, you are not obligated to. Just try to make it abundantly clear that you are only doing this to care for your own health. 

Honestly, I wrote this blog as more of a reminder to myself than anything else, but - at the risk of sounding too preachy - it is vital for you to remember that you ARE doing extremely well and, even if you're not, you can start today. Just make sure you're taking care of your mental needs, because at the end of the day, that IS more important than anything else. However, make sure you do not use that as an excuse to procrastinate, because - on the flip of things - sometimes truly caring for your mental health means holding yourself accountable and actually following through with your goals, to achieve what it is you want. 

Finally, here’s a helpline from the Fortis School Mental Health Program, which is a stress helpline for exam-bound students. 

+918376804102 

“To reaffirm the commitment towards ensuring emotional health and well-being of students at various levels of academics in school, Fortis Healthcare is running a helpline program as a continuing service for the benefit of the students appearing in the forthcoming examinations as part of the Fortis School Mental Health Program.”

“Students or parents with queries related to stress, mental well-being related to exams can call and consult a team of  Mental Health specialists.”