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Dealing with stress in Year 12 w/ Leadership Roles

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Jakeybaby:
We all know that Year 12 isn’t meant to be easy, as past students could explain, stress is an issue which the majority of students face. Whether this stress be apparent through the pressure placed on yourself, by parents, friends, teachers, peers, all students deal with it in their own unique way.

However, for a few select students, they are given the opportunity to represent their school in various leadership roles. These roles, all carrying different workloads can affect your mentality throughout the year, and dealing with this extra stress can be hard, don’t worry, we are here to help.
My ExperienceThroughout my final year of SACE, I was lucky enough to be elected by my peers and teachers as the College Captain, a role which I have always been aiming towards. Before taking on the role, I knew that the workload would be tough, and that it could potentially affect my final results, but I was determined to make sure that I perform to the best of my ability throughout my final year academically, as well as being the best leader and role model that I could be. I’m by no means a psychologist, but I’ve had the experience, I know exactly how hard the year can be, so I’m hoping that my advice will be able to assist you all, not just the leaders, throughout your final year at school.
OrganisationThis piece of advice is probably one that you hear every single year, but I can’t stress this enough, being organised is key to success. While balancing 5 subjects, it was also pivotal for me to stay organised when preparing bi-weekly assemblies at school and remembering to attend meetings throughout the week, usually about 4-5. Make sure to make use of planners, calendars, diaries etc. so that you can ensure that important dates & deadlines aren’t missed. The worst feeling is one where you forget something, maybe that being your formal speech (not speaking from experience at all hehe), however, ensuring that you keep a clean locker, use your organizational tools effectively and employing personal tactics will allow you to stay on top of all of your work throughout the year.
TIP: I purchased a whiteboard and hung it in my bedroom, this allowed me to see what I needed to do on each day, as well as approaching deadlines and meetings which I needed to attend. This helped me immensely, something of this sort may work for you too.
DelegationAt my school, it was great to have a team of 3 students (including myself) as College (Deputy) Captains. This allowed me to delegate roles throughout the team, as immediately, I took on the head role in the team, making sure that we were all doing well, as well as remaining on top of all of our events. Without this team, I would not have been able to have had the successful year that I had. Having a solid team around you is important, as the support from the others in the team will make sure that your morale remains high. If you are struggling with delegating, speak to a year level coordinator, or someone of the sort who is able to assist you. Also, you may have extra-cirricular leaders throughout the year level, who were also chosen to represent the school in various areas, so USE THEM! This was a big mistake that we made throughout 2016, we didn’t delegate enough to these other leaders, this may have been my fault for being too much of a control freak, but don’t be scared to ask for some help.
Balancing ActThe entire year for me was a balancing act, between academic and leadership roles. However, I was extremely lucky to have teachers who all understood this, and catered to this as the year progressed. If you at any point are feeling overwhelmed, like I was at multiple points throughout the year, I found that talking to my teachers was great, they were able to provide support and extend deadlines as per required. I am always here to provided support, as I said, I’ve been there :). Don’t forget your studies, but don’t forget your leadership roles either.
Seek SupportThroughout my final year, it was pivotal that along with balancing my work and life commitments with my leadership role and studies, that when I needed help, I knew exactly who I could go to. I had various staff within the school of whom I was close to, and therefore had 100% faith in their ability to help guide me through any challenges. Whether this be a group of staff from your school, a manager/senior staff member at work, a coach, a family friend or a mixture of all of them, it is pivotal that you are able to identify these people and go to them in times of need.
Time Away From SchoolThe year can seem to drag on, it may seem like December is an eternity away at some stages, this is the case for most students, myself included. Along with balancing leadership roles, it can be extremely stressful and daunting to know that you are leading through school through the year. However, as big as a responsibility as this is, it is crucial that you are able to sit down, relax and take your mind off of school and any leadership roles that you have. Whether this be sporting activities, gaming, reading a book or any other hobby, you need to find the time to get away from the stresses that you will endure throughout the year.

Ask questions below or send me a PM and I will reply ASAP :)

Jakeybaby:
I have updated the OP and will continue to do so.

I thought that now would be a good time to post, now that the class of 2018 are preparing for their final year of secondary schooling.

As per the OP, if you have any questions, please ask!

domjamriska:
Great content, lots of very valuable tips for future 2018 leaders. Think it's also worth mentioning that often leaders will enter the new year and their roles full of excitement, motivation and energy; filled with new ideas and wanting to make positive change. However, I found that as the year progressed, lots of my friends and peers' excitement gradually diminished as other aspects of life intensified, academic, social and sporting commitments, and begun to neglect their responsibilities of their official leadership positions.
Of course this is very understandable and maybe inevitable, but i would argue that the best leaders were those that recognised this yet were able to sustain their commitment to their leadership role even during the weeks where they had 5 SACS in a week, until the schooling year finished.

I would also recommend at the start of the year, making a mental list of friends who you could rely on when the proverbial hits the fan ... Always remember that your friends are there to support and help you and will do what they can to lighten the load, don't be afraid to ask for help!!

Jakeybaby:

--- Quote from: domjamriska on December 19, 2017, 10:20:02 pm ---Great content, lots of very valuable tips for future 2018 leaders. Think it's also worth mentioning that often leaders will enter the new year and their roles full of excitement, motivation and energy; filled with new ideas and wanting to make positive change. However, I found that as the year progressed, lots of my friends and peers' excitement gradually diminished as other aspects of life intensified, academic, social and sporting commitments, and begun to neglect their responsibilities of their official leadership positions.
Of course this is very understandable and maybe inevitable, but i would argue that the best leaders were those that recognised this yet were able to sustain their commitment to their leadership role even during the weeks where they had 5 SACS in a week, until the schooling year finished.

--- End quote ---
This occurred throughout my time as College Captain, one of my fellow captains was caught up in this, I was fortunately to be left with 2 other Captains who all took on extra responsibility to ensure that the roles were performed.
I took on the most out of us, and it took it's toll on my mental health, however, it was all worth it in the end, as when I stepped up on stage for our final assembly, a round of applause took place, a moment which I will never, ever forget.

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