Welp. I just finished my third week of school. The first two weeks were grueling, but labor day provided some much-needed time for reflection and catching up on other stuff. As everyone starts to settle into the rhythm of the school year, I have some thoughts I want to share with all my fellow students out there (yay internet!). Hopefully something in this post will help you, especially if your are feeling stressed out.
#1: God’s knows better than you
This is by far the most important thing I will write in this post. God ultimately works out all things for the good of those of who love him (Romans 8:28). Does this mean life is always pleasant or enjoyable? No, but it does mean that you can be sure that whatever is going on in your life is because God knows it is what is the best thing for you.
Words would fail to express how much peace this has brought me in the past, and now as well. It took a bit of a slap in the face from some close Christian brothers of mine to remind me of this, but I am glad it happened. This is by far the busiest start of a school year I have ever had, and at times it feels like I’m barely holding on. Yet, I feel an overwhelming peace knowing that God’s will for my life is what will happen, regardless of all the things that seem so important right now. Here’s an example:
I am a competitor for valedictorian at my school. Last year, I had the highest numeric average, but by less than a quarter of a point. This means that it is still anyone’s game, and every single point matters (I was only higher than the second competitor because I had an average one point higher in math class; we tied in everything else). Because I take an advacned math class, my schedule didn’t work out for me to take World History with my classmates. I was presented the opportunity to take World History online instead. I was also told I was allowed to take the AP version of the course, which I gladly consented to. Currently, my average in that class is a 92. Last year, my average in history was a 100 and I can practically guarantee that my competitor is maintaining a 100 in the normal World History class. Now, if I don’t get my grade up, I can kiss valedictorian goodbye (an eight point difference is too much to come back from unless something drastic happens to my competitor). Yet, I am at peace. I know that, coming from such a small class (~30 people), being in the highest position possible is the only way to guarantee I rank high enough for automatic acceptance into most state colleges. However, I also know that God will get me to whatever college he wants me to be at. If I don’t get into the college I want to, I’ll know it was because God didn’t want me to, and that he knew what was best for my life.
Long story short, don’t stress too much; God has everything under control.
Now onto lighter topics…..
#2: Remember to have fun
This is something often overlooked by high-achieving students. If you get so wrapped up in your work that you can’t enjoy yourself, you’re doing something wrong. Yes, you should do all things to the glory of God, but that doesn’t mean you kill yourself working. High school is the last phases of life before adulthood; enjoy it while you can.
Try to get together with friends. They all have homework too, so they understand that you can’t spend the whole day together, but it’s important that you find some time to cut loose and relax. I’ve heard someone use exercise as metaphor for schoolwork. When you exercise, your muscles tear and fatigue. This signals your body that they need to be rebuilt stronger. However, this does not happen instantly. The body spends the next several hours (or sometimes days) putting the muscles back together again. You could not expect someone to work out at maximum intensity three times a day every day of the week indefinitely. In the same way, you cannot expect to be a successful student if all you ever do is work. This is something I learned the hard way my first year of high school. It took me a while before I learned how to balance my time.
Speaking of balance….
#3: Drop it if you have too
Like I said in #2, you need to make time for things other than school. You should prioritize work around your goals. Ask yourself what is really important to you and focus on it. If you find that something is getting in the way of something you are passionate about, don’t be afraid to cut out that preventative thing (assuming you are able to). I know a guy who used to practice gymnastics regularly. We convinced him to join the Cross Country team. When his gymnastics coach heard about it, he told him he couldn’t do two sports and that he need to decide between Gym and XC. He chose XC. Anytime anyone asks him if he regrets it, the answer is a resounding no. He really likes running, and he was willing to make a sacrifice so he could keep doing it.
Well, there you go. Just some little tidbits to help the end of the start of the school year.
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How’s you’re school year going? Tell me in the comments below!
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