Stress Management
My daughter transferred to a new school this year. She had no interest in transferring to this school, but like all parents I overruled her objections so she can be prepared to compete in the highly competitive world we live in.
The curriculum at the new school is extremely challenging. My daughter has homework every day, including weekends. She is often up late during the week completing assignments. She has several teachers during each term, and they all have their own Web sites, which students are responsible to visit to get their assignments.
My daughter is well into 8 weeks in this term and is having a difficult time managing the stress. My daughter doesn't have the same responsibilities as my adult students, but there are similarities in the level of stress associated with completing assignments. I often discuss with students how to develop a plan for them to stay on track with assignments while juggling school, family and work. I approached this with my daughter in the same manner.
The first step is to get a planner or calendar and record assignments and deadlines. Tackle assignments by completing pieces of them daily, so you can show some daily progress and feel like you have accomplished something. Prioritize the assignments according to the deadlines. Take some time away from studying and assignments to relax.
To my surprise over the past weekend, my daughter informed me that she had formed a study group with two other students. They spent part of their weekend going over assignments and homework. The support of others can be a big factor in getting through those difficult patches.