Managing Mental Health at IMSA

If any of you have seen this triangle that depicts the “big three” to maintain in high school, then you’d know that according to the internet, you can only pick two from the offered list: academic success, a social life, and sleep. Now, if you’ve never seen this triangle before, what two options would you choose? Perhaps a high academic standing and great social life at the cost of not nearly enough sleep, or maybe good grades and enough sleep at the cost of having no friends. Whatever you choose, the outcome can likely affect your mental health. So, instead of a triangle, I like to think of the trifecta as a square. Good grades, social life, enough sleep, and mental health. Especially at IMSA, it can be difficult to maintain, think of, and care for your mental health. Here we’ll explore how you can maximize your mental health at this institution.

Practice Time Blocking

With time blocking, I’m not just referring to your school schedule. In an ideal world, the hours of 4:20-10pm are the optimal times to get all your work done, thus allowing yourself to have enough sleep. But IMSA isn’t a utopia; human error exists, and (a lot of) distractions are everywhere! I suggest using either google calendar, a planner, or an app on your phone/computer to schedule your day after school. By sectioning chunks of time to do your homework, eat dinner, and attend board meetings, you won’t have to worry about forgetting to eat, missing a board meeting, or having to cram homework at ungodly hours. Not only will this help you stay organized mentally, having a schedule written down every day eases the burden on your brain. 

Make Time for Downtime and/or Hobbies

I get it. It’s difficult to enjoy the things you loved before coming to IMSA when you have the impending doom of your next math test or your next English essay. However, by scheduling your time efficiently every day, there may be some days you find yourself coming up short with things to do. On those rare (maybe nonexistent) days, it’s a good opportunity to revive any hobbies you have or simply enjoy your downtime by doing something relaxing. 

In terms of downtime when you have a packed schedule, remember that breaks are necessary. Humans aren’t studying machines—we are sentient beings that have a wide variety of emotions and feelings. Even if you have three tests, two projects, and an essay due tomorrow, it’s important to remember that overloading yourself with work only impacts you negatively. A ten minute break to stand up and move around after studying for forty five minutes can infinitely increase your productivity, allowing you to “lock in” more effectively.

Having time to yourself overall improves your mental well-being!

Make Your Dorm a Safe Space

Being at a boarding school, it’s hard to separate work and school from life. At a regular school, home life and school life were spatially and temporally separate. Yet at IMSA, you live with another person in the same room, and your room is your “home-life.” Making the clear distinction between “work” and “life” is extremely important here, especially since we are basically treated like adults. Thus, setting boundaries with your roommate to make sure there are no negative feelings between you two is indispensable. Going back to your room after a long day of school is equal to going home after school—you want your room to be a safe, cozy space for you. Not only does having a place to unwind improve your mental health, being able to de-stress before tackling your mountain of schoolwork can allow for more productive work.

Make Time for Your Friends

Questions like, “Did you do number five on the problem set?” and “What did you get for number seven on the quiz?” seemingly forge friendships, yet they limit the people you talk with to the box of “school friends.” Going out of your way to hang out with the people you enjoy talking to, talking about subjects other than school, and overall being there for them when they need it is a great way to make time for your friends! You’ll find that when you have a strong support system, you’ll have a better attitude towards doing work and become more focused. Not only are your friends your support system, they can also be your default study buddies. Having trustworthy, reliable friends makes IMSA just that much more bearable.