I don’t like school at all🥲

That feeling of actively disliking school, often starting with the 'tomorrow is Monday' dread, isn't just a fleeting mood. If it persists, it’s a red flag for chronic stress, and that stress, my friends, is quietly sabotaging your academic performance in ways you might not even realize. I've been there, staring at the ceiling on a Sunday night, thinking, 'POV: Me Realizing tomorrow is Monday' and wishing the weekend would never end. What I didn't know then was the actual long-term damage that consistent, low-level stress was doing to my brain and my ability to succeed. One of the most significant disadvantages of chronic stress on academic performance is impaired cognitive function. When you're under constant pressure, your body releases hormones like cortisol. While a little bit of stress can sharpen your focus, prolonged exposure to these hormones can actually shrink the hippocampus, the part of your brain crucial for learning and memory. I remember sitting in class, feeling like the words were bouncing off my brain, unable to absorb new information. Recalling facts for tests became a monumental struggle, and problem-solving felt like trying to swim upstream. It wasn't just that I wasn't studying enough; my brain simply wasn't operating at its full capacity. That constant mental fog made everything from understanding complex concepts to simply remembering what I read the night before incredibly difficult. It’s like trying to run a marathon with weights on your ankles – you might try, but you won't perform your best. The second major impact I personally experienced was a drastic decrease in motivation and engagement. When you're continuously stressed, your mental energy gets completely depleted. That initial 'I don't like school at all' sentiment can evolve into full-blown apathy. I found myself procrastinating more than ever, skipping readings, and just generally feeling detached from my assignments and classes. Why put in effort when you're already exhausted and feeling overwhelmed? The joy of learning, the satisfaction of understanding a new topic, completely vanished. This lack of motivation then creates a vicious cycle: poor performance due to disengagement leads to even more stress, making it even harder to break free. It felt like every task was a mountain to climb, and my internal battery was always at 1%. If you're also feeling that 'tomorrow is Monday' dread or constantly saying 'I don't like school,' please know you're not alone, and it's worth exploring if chronic stress is the culprit. Recognizing these impacts is the first step to finding ways to cope and get your academic performance back on track. Small changes in stress management, like better sleep or short breaks, can make a huge difference in how your brain functions and how motivated you feel.