dontdie.html

don't die (mental health resources)

take a deep breath. you're going to survive this. here's some stuff that migt help.

please note:

wellness days are useless - go for the easy attendance but use it as time to spend with your friends. don't pay their advice any attention
this school's absence and tardy policy is irritating and difficult

use absences as carefully as you can
skip tests wisely. don't let it come back to bite you
watch your tardies, unless you wish to receive weirdly ominous emails from admin

this school doesn't care about you as much as it should, but we have a whole bunch of nice teachers who do
as students, we are not afforded the right to privacy, so information given to any school counselors and others can be revealed

these are the rules, in no particular order. do your best.

don't skip meals. ever. that's not a habit you want to form.
no all-nighters unless absolutely, completely unavoidable. it's not always possible to prioritize sleep, but no subject justifies you getting no sleep. i'd suggest getting a minimum of 4 hours every night. never, ever less than 2, unless you want to be dizzy, lightheaded, and on the verge of passing out.
find time to do things you enjoy. sacrifice schoolwork every once in a while to do them. go get food with your friends. read a book. take a walk. commit arson (for legal reasons, this is a joke). go to playa bowls!!! you deserve to take breaks.
do not, under any circumstances, value yourself based on academic performance or rely on academic validation. ridge encourges that. we do not.

here are some things you can do <3:

activity	description
go for a stupid mental health walk	pretend you're a flower. you wil get unhappy if you remain indoors for excessive periods of time and that's no fun. go touch grass. reconnect with nature. if you don't have the energy to go for a walk, just stand outside like you're photosynthesizing
read	ok i know it might be hard to focus but reading a physical book is grounding and can help center your focus on one thing. also reading is peaceful and fun <3 it's also a great way to ease yourself into sleep
watch a silly little show	watch something lighthearted and funny, and consider choosing a show you've watched before, because the familiarity can be comforting
lie on the floor	very grounding and calming. could fix you fundamentally. good for your spine. lying flat on your back on a hard surface can help ground you during a panic attack.
fall asleep on the couch	surprisingly comfy and makes everything feel unserious and fake. plus you're in the middle of the house instead of being isolated in your room
cry	this is not a joke. you will feel better. crying is cathartic.
make a list	write it on anything. it can be about how you're feeling, what you need to do, or whatever else you're concerned about at that moment. writing it down can help you see it and not think about it over and over, and it will help organize your thoughts
talk to your friends	text them. call them. yap incessantly. if you're panicking call one and tell them to just start talking about whatever. familiar, nonjudgemental voices can be really helpful and comforting
watch your favorite comfort movie	it is nice to decompress and live in the moment and enjoy the movie wiht no stress cause you know how it ends
annoy your sibling	there's literally a living comedy show of a person in your house. go poke them or something.
bake	everything is better with a sweet treat

we believe in you. you've got this. good luck!