Awfulizing is a way of thinking that makes you see everyday challenges in an extremely negative light. An "Awfulizer" tends to see the most catastrophic outcome as soon as something unexpected happens or goes wrong. Irrational, catastrophic thinking is associated with greater levels of anxiety, distress, depression as well as lower tolerance for frustration. Take the quiz to find out if you are an "Awfulizer." 

Answer: Panic attacks are not that uncommon. In fact, about 2 to 3 percent of people will have a panic attack in any given year. In other words, there will be two to three people dealing with panic attacks in approximately every three classes (put together) in your school. Here are a few tips on how to deal with panic attacks...

Relaxation breathing is a way of breathing that can help quiet your mind and calm your body. The goal of relaxation breathing is to interrupt upsetting thoughts and unpleasant physical sensations (e.g., feeling sick, short of breath) by refocusing your attention to your breathing. Research shows that most people experience the benefits of relaxation breathing with about 15 minutes a day of practice in less than 14 days.

Studies show that to do well in high school, you have to spend at least 12 to 15 hours a week studying. As a rule of thumb, university students need to put in at least two hours of studying for every hour they spend in class. That means, if you have a course load of 15 credits, you should aim for at least 30 hours of study time a week. Learning the ins and outs of how to schedule can make your workload less daunting and help you find time for relaxing and socializing.

According to the American Test Association, about 20% of students have severe test anxiety. These students are more likely to “blank out” on their exams and have difficulty recalling information they learned. As a result, they tend to underperform on tests and earn, on average, a half of a letter grade below their peers who have a lower level of test anxiety.

Research shows that unless you work on actively recalling what you’ve learned, you’ll forget approximately 60 to 70% of the material within 24 hours and most of it by the end of the week. Still, approximately 52% of students say they prepare for an exam by rereading their notes or textbooks.

Answer: Thank you for your question. Feeling pressure from parents to do well in school is one of the top stressors students report. When asked why they are putting so much pressure on their children, most parents say that they are just trying to help their children succeed in life. However, unreasonable parental expectations often have the opposite effect. 

Your to-do list is growing by the minute. Everyone seems to want something from you. You keep snapping at people, and worry is keeping you up most nights. "It's just stress," you reassure yourself. "It will pass." But what if you are at the tipping point for mental illness? 

Note-taking can help you retain information longer and recall it faster. Research shows that students who take notes are more mentally engaged than those who simply listen to a speaker or read a document. Moreover, students who take and review notes are better at recalling information, have a better comprehension of the material, earn higher scores on tests, and achieve better grades in general.