I’M TIRED OUT AND WORRIED ABOUT EXAMS

Dear Coleen

I’m leaving secondary school in a year’s time, but things are going absolutely terribly. I’m always so physically and emotionally exhausted because things at home are unstable. I’m missing a lot of school because of it, and my grades are suffering as a result.

Because things at home are so busy, I start my homework very late at night when I’m already tired and incapable of focusing on it properly.

I’m so scared of failing in my studies. Have you any advice?

Coleen says

You haven’t said why things are hard at home, but I think you need to speak to one of your teachers and explain the situation. It’s up to you how much detail you go into, but at the very least, explain that you’re not able to study until late.

Maybe they’ll give you the option of staying an hour after school to do your homework and they might offer to speak to your parents, too. Your teachers won’t want you to feel stressed or to fail, so I’m sure they’ll help.

It’s a very tough year with exams at the end – every student feels that pressure – so try not to be too hard on yourself. You can only ever do your best and sometimes we do fail – that’s life.

If it all goes wrong you can re-sit exams, so try not to think about the end result and just focus on doing your best, one day at a time.

If you can talk to your parents, explain how home life is impacting on you and your schoolwork. Maybe they don’t realise you feel under such pressure.

But don’t keep it to yourself – there will always be people to help.