Assignment 25 - Thomas Kenny

                Having been in accelerated academic programs since I was 8 years old, I am no stranger to extreme stress. Overwhelmed by the stark contrast between my normal 2^nd grade class and accelerated 3^rd grade class, I easily came to the realization that these programs were going to push me to perform no matter what the circumstance. I hate stress. I feel tense and agitated when I’m stressed and my diet often goes through drastic changes in these situations. For example, in lieu of the benefits of being properly fed before college entry exams, I did not eat for 30 straight hours before I took the ACT for the first time in 7^th grade. However, as much as I detest stressful environments, over the years I’ve developed the tenacity to thrive in stressful situations. The best application of this is that I can use the stress caused by performance anxiety to overcome it, and as a result I am able to perform well in sports, exams, etc. However, that doesn’t change the fact that I DESPISE stress, and the best way for me to relieve it is just to step back from whatever the stressful situation is and pay it no mind.