This person is very stressed out about a lot of things.

Hello,

I'm sorry to hear how stressful it is for you right now. I know senior year can be difficult, especially when things are piling up. I hate to break it to you, sweetheart, but sometimes, life gets busy and there isn't much we can do about it but weather the storm. We go through rough patches, and it's hard and tiring, and sometimes it can feel like everything is just too much but you have no choice but to fight through it. But guess what. It's worth it! The moment high school is over and you take that first breath of freedom makes those four years worth it. Then college! College is a whole new world full of new experiences and struggles all it's own, but we'll cross that bridge when we get to it. For now, let's just address the situation at hand.

You have a lot on your plate. Between school, and work, and extracurriculars, it's a miracle your metaphorical plate hasn't cracked with the weight of your commitments. Good job, honey, you're doing great. You've worked hard this far. Thank you for working hard.

Now, let's get into how we can manage this a little better. I know this is not what you want to hear, but your parents may have a point when they suggested you quit your job. You have a LOT you're trying to do right now, and that load is not going to lighten up until some of these tasks go away either by completion or sacrifice. Obviously, you can't give up school, and drivers ed is kind of important so you can't quit that either. Your only options from what you listed in your request would be figure skating or your job. And you could always get a job again when you have some more time on your hands. I don't know much about figure skating, so I can't really help you there, but I'm sure you could take a break for a few weeks to give yourself some more time if giving up your job is not a possibility. If you really, really can't stand the idea of temporarily giving something up, then you're just going to have to battle through it until you finish through. Since money seems important here, you can ask your workplace to continue working after you've gotten through this busy phase of high school. You can always get more opportunities to earn money, don't make it a priority just yet. You're still young, you have lots of things to do.

Next, on to your mental health. Anxiety is a major pain in the neck, I know. I'm glad to hear that you have someone to talk to! Venting your stress and talking through it is a great way to process and let go of all your emotions. Keep it up! Now, one thing I can say is your stress is obviously not good for your anxiety. It's blatantly clear that you are struggling, and the loads of stress piling up because of it is a detriment to your mental health and physical health. If you don't either lighten the load or learn to manage it well enough to keep yourself afloat, then your anxiety is going to be running pretty high until you do.

Lastly, my condolences. I am very sorry for your loss, honey. I can't even begin to imagine what you had to have gone through when you found out. I will keep you in my prayers, and I wish you all the best.

Stay strong,

The Advice Column Team