How to Deal With High School Drama Like a Pro

Don’t engage, we repeat, do not engage 😬

Whether we like it or not, at some point in our adolescent life we’re going to have to deal with some drama in our lives.

Whether it’s friendship, high school, relationship – it’s an inevitable part of growing up.

No matter how hard we try it’s just something that comes with the teenager/young adult experience.

But whether you live for the tea or just want to hide under a rock there is a way to actually deal with drama and the repercussions in a cool, calm, collected and mature way.

We asked 1000 Student Edge members how they handle drama in high school.

Fifty-two per cent said you rather avoid and stay out of it, 37 per cent said you gotta have a vent to your friends about it, 31 per cent said you’d try and resolve it directly, 23 per cent said ignore it and hope it goes away, 10 per cent of you said you’d get a teacher involved and 6 per cent said you’d do absolutely nothing.

Wondering which of these options would work best for your sitch? We break them down.

Avoid it and stay out of it.

If there’s drama circulating and it has nothing to do with you – it’s sometimes best to stay out of it.

This is also easier said than done. You might have a good friend involved in the situation and they (without knowing it) might get you involved by telling you something they shouldn’t or mentioning your name.

It’s also natural to want to defend your mates when they are at the centre of any drama.

But if something doesn’t involve you and you can see the people involved can resolve things themselves, the best thing for you to do is to dip as soon as possible. Trust us, it’ll save you the hassle in the long run.

But if you do see a situation happening around you and you can tell that it’s being taken too far, you should tell a trusted adult. It can be difficult to involve an adult when it comes like things like this but when your friend or someone you know could be at risk, it’s always best to escalate things.

Vent to your friends about it.

Your friends are kinda your lifesaver in high school. They are the people you see every day, five days a week for eight hours a day.

By the end of high school it can almost feel like you’re siblings rather than friends.

And so venting to your friends can sometimes be the very thing that gets you through your time in school. Whether it’s about drama or an assignment or about someone you have a crush on, venting to your mates is rite of passage.

But don’t take venting too far. It’s chill to vent to your mates but don’t let it turn into a gossip sesh where you’re bagging out another person/group of people constantly. Because you probably wouldn’t want someone to talk about you like that.

You should also choose to confide in friends who you know will keep your convo confidential, and not spread it to others to avoid any drama getting worse.

Try to resolve it directly.

If you’re comfortable and feel safe enough to do this, you should definitely resolve any drama or arguments directly.

Chances are, the issue is a miscommunication and once you’ve talked things over it’s actually not as big a deal as you think it is.

And by resolving something directly it also lessens the chance of spreading any rumours or whispers behind everyone’s back.

However, on the off chance that you’re trying to resolve things on your own and the conversation goes south (aka it gets aggressive and voices are raised), take a step back and maybe even leave that conversation. Nothing good comes from shouting.

And you may have to…

Get a teacher/trusted adult involved.

Look, no one likes being a snitch.

But if your drama has gotten so out of hand that people are shouting, there are tears and there’s a threat to someone’s mental or physical health, it’s probably time to bring in some reinforcements.

If you’re comfortable you can tell a teacher you’re close to. But if not, you could also speak to another adult in your life you trust. This could be a parent, a friend’s parent, a sibling, a sports coach, or even an older student at school.

We don’t wanna sound like your mum: but it’s not always a bad thing to tell an adult what’s going on.

Ignore it and hope it goes away/nothing.

This is sometimes the best course of action...sometimes.

In our heads, drama or certain situations can appear like they are a big deal. When in reality it’s actually not. What you might think is massive, could blow over in a day or two.

 But don’t ignore facing problems head on. If you’re feeling a bit emotional about the situation or you don’t think you can handle tackling a conversation about things at that moment, take some time to yourself. It’s always good to pause and approach a conversation when you’re in the right mindset.

Takeaway.

If you think the drama has something has escalated to the point that it’s become bullying, there are many ways to approach the situation. Here are some tips from Kids Helpline on how to approach things:

• Show you disapprove. Don’t be afraid to make it known in a subtle way you don’t agree with someone’s actions. This might mean not laughing when someone makes a mean joke or even saying something like "hey that not’s cool"
• Give someone in a messy situation an excuse to leave the situation. For example, you could say “hey the teacher wants you for this”
• Let the person in the situation know you’re thinking about them. Speak to them in private and say something like “I saw what happened, and I don’t agree are you ok?”

For more info check out their page on what they have to say about how to tackle things like this.

If you or anyone you know needs help, support is available now. Call Lifeline on 131 114 or Kids Helpline on 1800 551 800. Visit ReachOut to get support to help you with everything from everyday issues through to tough times.

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