As teenagers, we have an unruly amount of expectations to keep up with, but since we are merely human, this task is next to impossible. This puts us in an awkward position. We are told to handle nearly impossible tasks, and then accused of not being liable when we can’t finish them, which throws a massive amount of stress on us.

Now, I’m not saying that we should be reckless, but merely just to unwind. We spend 8 hours (sometimes longer) in a building where lectures and essays are drilled into our brains, and then we are told to go home, and reflect on what we have learned by doing more schoolwork on our own time. Homework piles up, and burdens fill our minds. Before long, you find yourself pulling an all nighter not because you went to a midnight premier, but because you have 6 hours of homework, and no chance to rest. The older we get, the more responsibilities are passed down to us. Then reality sets in, hard. Those homework-free nights are now replaced with jobs, and the Netflix marathons that were oh so common over the summer will have to wait until Thanksgiving. Being a teenager is not an easy thing to be, and as my parents say, “It only gets harder from here.”

What we need to do is to stop and not think. If we don’t, our minds will explode due to the mass amounts of homework and jobs we are so easily expected to handle. We need a break! Even though this is a rare, and almost an extinct situation, we need to find time to do so. Stress is already a common affair with most students, not to mention drama due to relationships or friends on top of all that.

You might be wondering what the trick is to loosen up, and I’m here to tell you. Take a look at your schedule, and try to find time to take 15-20 minutes out of your day to just relax. Whether it be to watch a quick episode of The Office, go for a walk, or take a nap, as long as you do what makes you happy for those 15 minutes, you might stay somewhat sane through the rest of the school year.

So whatever you do, don’t forget to take it easy once in a while. Although this might sound dumb to some people, those who do it will find themselves enjoying life a lot more than the people who think they are too cool to take a nap. The world is a pretty amazing place, but it might be hard to appreciate when the only thing on your mind is school. So just chill.