Let’s admit it: Academic pressures are low-key, not spoken about enough. Your parents have high expectations of you, your teachers have high expectations of you, your friends have high expectations of you, and even you have high expectations of yourself. Not to mention that you can’t afford to not be academically sound because you know you’re born to be academically sound as a Christian – it’s your covenant right.

I shall be the head and not the tail.

But if we dive deeply into academic pressure, it is manageable, even as manageable as social media pressure.

Scaling your academics and navigating the pressures it presents to you boils down to your daily habits as well as your mindset.

So, how do we manage academic pressure?

1. Time management.
2. Realistic goals.
3. Seek support.
4. Effective study habits.
5. Prioritise self-care.
6. Challenge negative thoughts.
7. Practice mindfulness.

Now, let’s unpack each of these hacks for a better understanding.

1. Time management: if you constantly feel like time is always slipping from your hands unnoticed, then it is. But not because you have too much to do, but because you’re not managing it well enough. You already know time is precious, so as a student, you should always plan your day around having a balance of school and home time and still have enough time to study.

Now, if you’re mainly battling with having time to study, start small. Set an alarm for a specific time each night for you to study.

One way to avoid exam fever is to start before exams. Meaning, if you start reading early, you won’t feel under pressure when your exams roll around. And the only way to start reading early is if you make a conscious effort to have study time each night after school. We recommend having it after you’re done with your chores, so you don’t have any distractions from anyone.

2. Realistic goals: It would be unrealistic to say you want to top your class when you’re not yet in the top 10. Yes, we know you can do all things through Christ, but you also have to apply wisdom.

Let’s say you are below average, set a goal to become an average student, then above average, then a class topper.

It’s all about the baby steps you take.

Also, if you’re already a class topper, set a goal to remain the class topper; there’s nothing more hurtful than losing your top position to someone else.

So, stay ahead of the game and start reading early.

3. Seek support: No man is an island, and you are wrong if you think you can scale your academics without any support. Think about it, that’s why you have teachers to guide you.

If you’re struggling with your academics, consider asking for extra lessons, meeting your teachers to help you break down complex topics or building a study group with your closest friends so you can have people to help you achieve your goals.

P.S. Research shows that students who study in groups have a higher chance of success than those who do not.

4. Effective study habits: don’t go tapping away on your phone during the thirty minutes you promised to have as study time, and don’t go consuming all the study material the night before an exam either.

Build effective study habits to help you scale your academics.

This includes consulting extra study materials, asking questions when you’re confused, conducting research to get a better understanding and basically reading more widely.

5. Prioritise self-care: self-care is like a mythical habit for students. But you need to understand that as much as focusing on your education is important, focusing on your health is just as important.

So never deny yourself a good night’s rest, especially when you have an exam or test the next day and always eat well. Take breaks when studying and ensure you step back when things begin to look a bit blurry. Overall, take care of yourself so you can have the best state of health when your exams come around.

6. Challenge negative thoughts: Who told you you can never top the class? That’s a self-limiting belief you need to toss out ASAP.

As a child of God, you’re not meant to have negative thoughts take root in your mind, especially not about your academic success.

So whenever you see evil thoughts reading their head in your mind, remind them that you are the head and not the tail and that academic success is your birthright as a child of God.

7. Practice mindfulness; there’s nothing more annoying than having s wandering mind when you just want to focus on your books.

We’ve all been there. If you’re committed to navigating academic success, then you need to practice mindfulness when you’re studying. You could read to yourself or “teach” the concepts to an inanimate object to ensure you’re always rooted in your studies.

Remember, baby steps.

There you have it, easy steps to combat academic pressure. Do you have any other hacks you use? Share it with the community below, and make sure you join our WhatsApp group to meet like-minded teens.

Plus, our webinar is coming up soon. If you’re curious about how to make audacious decisions, then you should register for it so you don’t miss it. 

Go on, register now.