Stress
Getting nervous before your first high school presentation can trigger this hormone, often called the body's primary "stress hormone."
What is cortisol?
If a high schooler suddenly stops playing their favorite sport or going to club meetings because it no longer feels fun, they are experiencing this symptom.
What is loss of interest?
Saying "no" when peers pressure you to skip class or try vaping is a way of establishing these personal safety limits.
What are boundaries?
Rolling your eyes, crossing your arms, or checking your phone while a teammate is speaking are forms of this non-verbal messaging.
What is body language (or nonverbal communication)?
Instead of starting a conflict with an accusatory "You always ruin group projects," an "I" Message starts by taking ownership using this word.
What is "I"?
Feeling a rush of excitement and positive energy before a big high school sports game or music performance is this type of "good" stress.
What is eustress?
If you or a friend are feeling overwhelmed by sadness for weeks, this adult located in the guidance office is trained to help.
What is a school counselor?
Constantly changing how you talk, dress, or act just to get approval from the popular crowd is this self-respect-eroding habit.
What is peer pressure or fitting in?
Expressing your ideas clearly and calmly during a group project without being aggressive or passive is this style of communication.
What is assertive communication?
In the statement "I feel frustrated when group members don't do their part," "frustrated" represents this part of the message.
What is the emotion (or feeling)?
Late-night scrolling on your phone while worrying about homework disrupts this essential daily need, making stress much worse the next morning.
What is sleep?
Sadness is a normal temporary emotion, but clinical depression involves low mood or loss of interest lasting for at least this long.
What is two weeks?
Standing up for your values and doing the right thing—even when no teachers or friends are watching—shows this trait.
What is integrity?
Putting your phone face down and making eye contact while a classmate talks—rather than planning what to say next—is called this.
What is active listening?
Rather than calling a classmate "lazy," an "I" Message states the specific, objective action or this that caused the problem.
What is the behavior (or fact)?
Trying to balance honors classes, high school sports, clubs, and a social life without breaks can lead to this state of total exhaustion.
What is burnout?
Feeling down often makes freshmen pull away from friends and family to stay alone in their room, a symptom known as social this.
What is isolation?
Choosing friends who encourage and respect you rather than putting you down is a strong sign of having high this.
What is self-respect (or self-esteem)?
Texting and social media DMs often lead to unnecessary drama because they lack this auditory cue present in real speech.
What is tone of voice?
The primary goal of using "I" Messages when resolving a high school disagreement is to prevent the other person from becoming this.
What is defensive?
Rapid heart rate, dilated pupils, and heavy breathing during acute stress are triggered by this branch of the autonomic nervous system.
What is the sympathetic nervous system?
Depression is a medical condition often linked to imbalance in these chemical messengers in the brain, like serotonin and dopamine.
What are neurotransmitters?
Refusing to forward embarrassing photos or rumors about a classmate on group chats protects their dignity as well as your own this.
What is character (or integrity / reputation)?
Interrupting someone mid-sentence just to argue your point instead of hearing them out is known as listening to do this.
What is respond (or defend / argue)?
Complete the formula: "I feel [Emotion] when you [Behavior] because [Impact], and I need [this]."
What is a solution (or request / change / preference)?