Your Mental Health Is More Important Than Your Grades By Kristen Lee Costa

Maggie Marion

Dr. Smith

Chemistry 134

11 December 2015

Your Mental Health is More Important than Your Grades What attracted me to this article was the way that I identified with it. Not only do I have difficulties managing stress, I also look for ways to manage it, usually not having much luck. This article explains that experiencing college and work related stress is extremely normal. We find ourselves frantically trying to finish one assignment, only to remember that another is due the same day. Kristen Lee Costa, the author of the article, introduces five points to help individuals manage and live with stress. These five steps to dealing with stress helped me to see what I am going through in a different way. According to Costa, we must remember that even though it may be overwhelming, education is a privilege. There are plenty of people in the world who would give anything to experience the things that we fret over. Also, it is important to acknowledge that we all make mistakes, and we use these mistakes to learn and grow. We can be perfectionists, but must also accept that we are not perfect. Another great point that is touched on is the fact that even when we are feeling down on ourselves, we should still try to stay positive. All we need is a little time management, and trust that we can get through it. Creating a routine can be an

This idea stuck with me more so than the other points. This is partially because usually, that is how I feel. It is hard to imagine that the smartest student in your class has trouble with the material, or that anyone is worrying as much as you are. We are all humans and we all feel emotions in generally the same way; some more than others. Everyone has been stressed out in their lives, and just because you are feeling overwhelmed, doesn’t mean that you are alone. Reaching out to your friends and professors can make a world of