By Mrs Jenny Gillespie, College Counsellor

The Holidays are Near!

As the teaching, learning and assessment cycle continues this term, it is worth remembering that managing exams and assignments can, at times, be stressful for students.   

Some teens are naturally more sensitive to stress than others and for those students, the following tips may be particularly relevant.

Tips for the end of term:

• Manage stress by managing time:

Teens may need help to structure their time to ensure they can manage their school commitments without getting overloaded and anxious.  It is not about being busy (filling up the schedule), it's about being effective (putting the right things into the schedule). Term and Week Planners can help in this regard and are available from either myself in room 106 or at the College office.

• Laugh:

If you are sensing that your young person is feeling stressed due to academic (or any other) demands, keep up with the silly jokes and playful banter at home.  Laughter is proven to reduce stress not only because of the brain chemicals involved but also because it momentarily takes the ‘heaviness’ out of a situation. 

• Breathe:

The old-fashioned concept of ‘just breathe’ has been proven, by Science, to reduce stress.  Slowing breathing promotes calmness and concentration and young people can certainly learn to do this if they are getting stressed before an exam, at home doing assignments, or studying.  Smilingmind.com.au is a great online resource and contains lots of relaxation activities.

• Thinking habits matter:

Help your young person to know three thoughts they can hold onto during times of stress. Thoughts like “I have enough time”, or “I will get this done”, or “I’ve done the work, I am prepared, I will do well”, are examples. Thoughts like these are important because they promote optimism and therefore reduce stress.

If you have any questions or if you are concerned about your child’s wellbeing, please feel free to give me a call through the College office.

College Announcements

Assumption College is pleased to welcome Mrs Mel Priddin as our Student Counsellor. Mel wil be sharing this role with Mrs Jenny Gillespie and will be working at Assumption College and St Mary's throughout each week.

Mel has been involved in the field of education and community welfare for over 30 years as a registered teacher and social worker. Beginning her career as a primary school teacher, Mel moved into policing with the Queensland Police Service and from there into counselling and social work roles within the community. Alongside her work in school settings, Mel has also worked with the National Association for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect (NAPCAN) to develop programs and facilitate training in respectful relationship education. Mel is presently completing a PhD focusing on teacher wellbeing through the University of Southern Queensland.