Point Break: How to Deal with Stress

Between schoolwork and social media, are you feeling the pressure? Teen Vogue reports on teen stress—and how to decompress.

Though she's only a college sophomore, life is already a balancing act for nineteen-year-old Marisa. In addition to juggling five rigorous classes, extracurricular activities, and internship applications, "I need to keep in touch with friends and family back home, go to the gym to stay healthy, have a social life, and on top of all that, find time to relax," the New York native shares. "It's too much—I'm burned out."

If Marisa's story sounds all too familiar, you're not alone. "Our generation is under pressure to excel in everything, and each year it seems to get worse," says sixteen-year-old Paige, from New York City, who thinks that being superstressed is simply status quo for teens today. A new study may prove Paige right. According to a report called "The American Freshman: National Norms Fall 2010," young people are indeed becoming more driven to achieve. But is it costing them their mental well-being? Among the more than 200,000 incoming college freshmen who participated in the study, emotional health is at its lowest point since the annual survey began over 20 years ago. At the same time, more than 70 percent of students rated themselves as being above average in academic ability and ambition.

Experts say this stress epidemic is spurred by a combination of circumstances, including a more competitive college-admission process. "Prestigious universities are getting a greater number of applications, so they're accepting smaller percentages of applicants than in the past," explains Jim Miller, president of the National Association for College Admission Counseling. The popularity of national school rankings, like U.S. News & World Report's annual "Best Colleges" list, adds fuel to the fire. "These lists make students feel as if they absolutely have to go to a top-rated school in order to be successful in life, and this further drives the increase in applications to those places," he says.

Eighteen-year-old Janelle readily admits that she's willing to do whatever it takes to boost her chances of getting into an elite college, even if it means taking on a massive workload. "Last term, I was getting straight As in everything except chemistry, and with college coming up, I couldn't let a bad grade bring down my GPA," the New Jersey resident says. As a result, she added weekly chemistry tutor sessions to her already jam-packed schedule, which includes keeping up with the rest of her classes, cheerleading, taking SAT prep class, and volunteering. "Getting good grades and doing extra things like joining clubs will set me apart from other students and help me get into college," she says. Now, Janelle has no free time—but she believes it's worth the sacrifice.

Social-networking obsession may also be cranking up the pressure on time-crunched teens, notes Jeff Gardere, Ph.D., a clinical psychologist in New York City. "Not only do they need to be good with face-to-face interactions, but they also have to manage relationships on Facebook, update their personal profiles—basically, they're living their lives in several different existences." According to a recent study conducted by The Kaiser Family Foundation, approximately 40 percent of young people check out a social-networking site, such as Facebook or MySpace, each day and spend an average of almost an hour there. "Many teens feel that always being in the loop is a social requirement, but maintaining constant communication with friends takes a lot of work and time," says Jonathan Pochyly, Ph.D., a pediatric psychologist at Children's Memorial Hospital in Chicago.

With these factors converging to create this high-pressure world for teens, it's more important than ever to adopt a stress-busting strategy that will help you rise above it. "The thing that differentiates someone who manages stress well from someone who has a breakdown is whether or not she has coping skills," Pochyly says. Think about if you're investing your time wisely. "You have only a limited reserve of energy, and you need to give yourself some rest to refill it. This may mean being online less often at night so you can get enough sleep, or giving up an activity or two," he says. Contrary to popular belief, scaling down your extracurriculars won't hurt your chances of getting into a top school, Miller assures; in fact, it could make you a stronger applicant. "Some students spread themselves so thin that they don't do anything well. Colleges want students who are engaged in a few different things—instead of a laundry list of clubs and activities—and have had truly meaningful experiences with them," he says. Keep the college-admission process in perspective by putting your needs first. "Don't try to fit into a particular school's mold—you should look for a school that fits you. Being successful in college has far more to do with what you make of it than the name on the gate," he says.

Gardere also recommends working out or playing your favorite sport regularly, since breaking a sweat stimulates the brain's production of endorphins, which produce feelings of happiness. If you still find yourself fatigued all the time, getting sick often, or having sleeping or eating issues, seek help. "Stress is a natural part of our lives, but it's important to not let it wear down the body and mind," Gardere says. Eighteen-year-old New Yorker Alice agrees. Ever since she started practicing de-stressing techniques, like deep-breathing ercises, her ability to handle senior year of high school has improved. "It's all about preparing yourself so that stress doesn't knock you off your feet but instead builds character and makes you a stronger person," she says. —JANE SHIN PARK

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