When I was a freshman, I worried that being absent any day of the year meant that I miss a ton of assignments and my grades would drop drastically. Because of this, I did not take any break and continued to overwork myself. Now in my sophomore year, the stress on me built further. Stressing about keeping my grades up to make my parents proud, but also to make myself satisfied. The late night overthinking never stopped circling my head as I tried closing my drained eyes to get a good night sleep for the next day. 

I doubted myself that I would not get it done in time and the awful grade would show up right in PowerSchool. There was not a day where I did not stress myself out with multiple homework assignments and extensive projects. I would tell my mom about the subjects that disrupt my mental health. She told me about taking things slow and helped me realize that there is nothing wrong with taking a break. 

As my sophomore year progressed and the dreadful headaches and tears began, the focus on my mental health was finally taken seriously. I listened to what my mom had told me and stopped overthinking, took a deep breath, and made my mental health a priority. I departed from the assignments and put my attention entirely on conversating with close friends and family. Once I started taking the breaks I really needed, my stress was not so all over the place. However, there is no denying that I continue to hassle about thinking of grades and assignments. 

School and my mental health may never have a good relationship. But, I do not feel guilty for taking that day off like how I did when I was a freshman. Moving on to the next year, my mental health will always be a priority no mat