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What Happened:
It’s now official: High school’s kind of a drag.
Such are the findings of a new study out of Yale University. Researchers took the emotional pulse of approximately 22,000 students nationwide, asking them how they currently felt in school. Eight of the top 10 responses were negative.
Nearly four in 10 high schoolers reported feeling tired, making it the runaway No. 1 response. Stressed came in second, with 29 percent of students naming that senstaion, while bored was third at 26 percent. In contrast, only 22 percent of students said they were happy.
Not everyone finds school stressful and boring, of course. About 22 percent of the high schoolers said they were happy, and about 5 percent said they were excited. Chances are, how you feel about school or education depends on the day. And some days, you might feel stressed, bored, happy and excited. After all, a great deal can happen during a school day.
However, experts still say the study is concerning. Stressed students have a hard time concentrating on schoolwork. Tired students may nod off or zone out more, preventing them from learning as much as they should, and boredom isn’t particularly conducive to getting the most out of class.
“I think they point to the fact that we need to be attending to the feelings of our nation’s youth,” says Marc Brackett a researcher at Yale’s Department of Psychology. “Unless what they’re learning is engaging and interesting, they’re going to be bored—the boredom is related to the quality of instruction.”
Talk About It:
Where do you get your schooling? At a public school? A private Christian school? Are you homeschooled? If you were asked how you typically felt in school, what would you say?
Do you find school stressful? If so, what stresses you out about it? How do you deal with that stress? Do you feel there are things you could do to help relieve some of that stress?
How often are you bored in school? What bores you? How do you deal with that boredom? Do you ever find yourself falling asleep in class?
How much sleep do you get on a typical night? Do you feel it’s enough? Could you juggle your schedule to get more?
What the Bible Says:
“Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might, for there is no work or thought or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol, to which you are going” (Ecc. 9:10).
“Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid” (John 14:27).
“Out of my distress I called on the Lord; the Lord answered me and set me free. The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me?” (Ps. 118:5-6).
“Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs him down, but a good word makes him glad” (Prov. 12:25).
“Come to Me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light” (Matt. 11:28-30).
Paul Asay has written for Time, The Washington Post and Christianity Today. He writes about culture for Plugged In and has published several books, including his newest, Burning Bush 2.0 (Abingdon), available now. He lives in Colorado Springs. Check out his entertainment blog at Patheos.com/Blogs/WatchingGod or follow him on Twitter @AsayPaul.
