Stress happens in many different ways. You can overthink and stress yourself out or wait until the last minute to write a paper and stress yourself out. There are many different ways of stressing yourself out or others out.

We all have our own boats of stress. Some might have minor stressors and some might have major stressors. As little kids, we have nothing to stress about. We just do what our parents and teachers say. We don't care what we look like or who we play with, were all just friends.

Once we get into middle school that's when everything starts changing. We start caring about what boys think of us, what we look like, and who our friends are. My stress started in 8th grade. That's when everything hit me. Growing up I always hear the stereotype that kids of teen moms will struggle in school and some won't even finish high school or even go to college. That started off my middle school/ high school years bad. 8th grade is when I started getting bullied more, dad issues, and school struggles. I felt like a lot was pulling me down.

My freshman year was probably my hardest year. I struggled a lot in math and kept almost not being able to play sports. I was one of those kids that didn't get along with my math teachers I felt like they taught to the kids that knew what they were doing instead of the kids that were struggling. I struggled so much I didn't get the help I needed so I got a D in math my freshman year. That year I noticed that I was struggling with depression. All these things were stressing me out I didn't know how much more I could take.

My sophomore year was a little better I had more classes I liked and that I understood. I had a lot of my friends in my classes so we could work together. The one thing that stressed me out that year were my English books. They were all Shakespeare and I struggled with that. I didn't understand anything in those books. Luckily I watched the movies and that helped with passing my classes, we also had cartoon books that my teachers would let me borrow. 

We also would talk about the chapter as a class after we were done reading or in between. Math was still a struggle to me, I hated my new math teacher and she was the same way. If I didn't get what I was learning she would get frustrated with me and say we can talk another day. That didn't set me off in the right way so it made me more stressed out.

By Junior year I was less stressed about school but more stressed about graduating the next year. I finally got math and passed with a B so I was so grateful! A lot of my classes were easy and I had more teachers I liked and had a great connection with. More of these teachers were being more helpful than not helping me at all. One thing that stressed me out was my science class. I'm so bad at science but I needed some advanced science classes. I was extremely grateful that teacher was helpful in anyway possible.

My senior year was super easy besides my last term. I had to take math because I failed math my sophomore year. So I need a few more credits in math. Luckily my math teacher that year helped me so I could graduate and I passed math with a B! Knowing I was on the right track to graduate and that I passed my smarter balance tests made me not stress so much and love my senior year! I had to take one more advanced science class so I took biology. The teacher that taught it was new that year so we were very skeptical about her but gave her a chance. The class was fun but also hard. I was scared I wasn't gonna do so well in that class but I also passed with a B! My senior year was only stressful because I didn't wanna have bad grades before I graduated.

In college, my stress is more toward not having money for things I need or buying Christmas presents for my family. I’m less stressed about passing classes because I attend my classes, turn them in, and check my grades often. I know I'm doing good and I'm proud. I try to do all I can to make as much money as possible to get by but I wanna do more than just getting by. I work extra hours and offer to babysit kids just so I can pay rent and be able to buy others presents.

In other words, stress can be hard to deal with or pass but as long as you ask for help or do things before the due date you will help yourself and others. Always reach out even if you don't want to it will help you in the long run.