Take some deep breaths. When you notice yourself getting anxious or frustrated, taking some deep breaths is a great first step. You can do it anywhere, even in class. Your teacher and classmates probably won’t even notice.
Try breathing in deeply through your nose and then breathing out through your mouth.
Take ten deep breaths like this. If you don’t feel calmer after that, repeat. However, usually taking ten deep breaths will help.
Reflect on what’s happened. You might be having a bad day because one big thing happened that upset you; or many small upsetting things may have happened. It may be a case of bad luck or it could be caused something more significant such as bullying or doing poorly on a test. Take some time to think about what it is that has turned this into a bad day.
Once you’ve named the problem or issue, try to avoid thinking about it too much. Sometimes a bad day is made worse by fixating on the problem. See if there’s something more positive you can turn your attention toward. For example, instead of thinking, “I can’t believe I left my homework at home,” you can think, “I’ll tell my teacher what happened and bring it in tomorrow. And anyway, I’ve got drama club later today, which will be really fun.”
You can also decide that you’ll spend some time later, at home figuring out how to deal with this issue fully.
Check in with friends. Strong friendships can make school much more manageable. You might not be able to talk to friends during class, but try to connect with them during lunch or between classes if you can.
It can be useful to get or give a hug when you’re having a bad day.
If it’s possible during a break, you can write a note or send a text to a friend. But don’t do this during class, course. A note can be a way to vent, such as, “Today just seems to go on forever!” or to express care for someone, such as, “I wish you were in English with me. I always feel lonely in that class.”