How to get over stress?

I accept the fact that grade 9 is a huge step forward , but still I think we must cope with it . These days most of my friends are complaining about how stressed they are (I also do) , but its just us who chose this path (IGCSE) and we MUST  help ourselves. I just sat with myself and thought what makes us so stressed? If we thought of stress as a 'feeling of excitement' then the word stress we all know won't exist. Just few minutes ago ,  I read an article on BBC that discussed how we can cope with stress. I actually got touched by this sentence:   We're not weak or neurotic because we're stressed - we're stressed because we're human. Blaming ourselves or doling out negative thoughts as self-imposed punishment is a waste of energy. That's so true! Stress is not always what a 'weak' person feels. A strong person can get as stressed as a weak person. Being stressed is a total waste of energy. That's exactly what my father told me when I went to him complaining about how stressed I am. Keep in mind also that stress affects your health negatively. It can cause simple  pains like headache to severe heart diseases . So don't put yourself under too much stress and always have some time for entertainment. Put this in mind " All work no play makes Jack a dull boy"

To read more about coping with stress visit: http://www.bbc.co.uk/health/emotional_health/mental_health/coping_stress.shtml