High school is anxiety. No matter what grade you’re in or how many friends you have, the feeling that you’re surrounded and small never really fades. We all experience much more anxiety than usual in these ephemeral years. And in light of that heightened nervousness, kids with chronic anxiety struggle more. With 60% of our generation fitting that category, the silent monster creeps on more of your classmates than you may realize. You might just fit this category, and so my two cents is for you. 

I’d rather not list the over explained coping mechanisms. Instead, I’ll be blunt: anxiety is a liar – it isn’t reality. Ninety-nine percent of the time, your point of view is distorted. When I finally let myself accept that fact, breathing in these halls got a whole lot easier. 

As the final weeks of school approach, whether it’s exams, goodbyes or other big changes ahead, panic can sneak in. So if you’ve ever listed the five senses in the midst of anxiety, let’s break them down. 

You see: people staring at you. What you actually see: someone zoning out. High schoolers do that a lot. 

You hear: whispering voices. Are they making fun of you? Probably not — they’re likely just trying to find people in their lunches.

You taste: nothing. Your throat is probably dry; take a breath and a sip of water. 

You smell: mingled adolescence. Focus on a scent you like. What perfume is the girl next to you wearing? Talking relieves tension — maybe ask her where she got it. 

You touch: your friend’s hand. You don’t notice, but they’re squeezing it back. Rubbing your thumb. People care about you, and anxiety often blinds you from seeing that.

Finally, I beg you to use your sixth sense: perspective. Everyone is pushing through their own struggle, likely battling anxiety like yours. Shake a hand, give a smile. Relieve theirs and remember that, in the kindest way possible, it is all in your head. 

From your resident over-thinker, 

Ela Or