Honestly, being in 10th grade when you’re used to getting top marks is a totally different kind of stress. It’s not just about passing; it’s that constant, pressure to maintain your streak and the fear that only day I didn’t study could ruin everything. I’ve had so many nights where I’m staring at my notes, already knowing the topic, but still feeling that awful feeling in my stomach because I’m worried about making a mistake that I wouldn’t normally unless I was distracted because of my stress. But even if we’re used to crushing it, we have to find ways to keep the pressure from becoming totally overwhelming for our psychology.
I used to think that to stay at the top, I always had to study until I was literally dizzy. Now, I’ve forced myself to embrace the “twenty-minute rule” which really worked out for me. I’ll fully focus on a difficult topic, and then I’ll actually get up and walk away, maybe watch some TV or go get some snacks. It felt like I was being lazy at first, but my brain actually works better when I’m not suffocating it. And if I start studying about a specific exam, I just grab a pen and write down every single question scenario that’s stuck in my head. It’s like I’m clearing the self doubts so I can actually focus on my work.
The biggest lie I used to tell myself was that sleep was a luxury I couldn’t afford. I thought pulling all-nighters was just the price you paid for high grades, but I’d show up to the exam feeling like a ghost, making dumb mistakes because I was so drained. Now, I treat sleep like it’s part of my study plan. I’ve also realized that just moving even gets rid of that tight feeling in my chest. We’re high achievers, but we aren’t machines, and we can’t expect our brains to be sharp if we’re treating our bodies like they don’t matter.
At the end of the day, we have to realize that our worth is not a number on a page. We spend so much time chasing perfection that we forget that being a good student is also about learning how to handle challenges. Even if the results aren’t 100% every single time, it doesn’t change the fact that we are food students. Letting go of that fear of failing is the best way to really clear our minds. We’ve got the skills to handle this, so we just need to trust ourselves and keep moving forward.