How students cope with stress (photo)
Mixing paint together, junior McKayla Reidler works on a paining in art class. She was testing swatches of different paints to see which one she liked the best “Art eases stress I may be feeling from classes. Just focusing on something else this simple is very relaxing,” Reidler said.
Trying to juggle extracurriculars and maintain an “acceptable” GPA proves to be stressful on many occasions. Half of teens who took part in a survey by American Psychological Association say that most of their stress is school-related.
Chronic stress proves to be a major problem in high school, and it could lead to a road of misfortunes. Stress affects high school students behaviorally, academically, physically and mentally. Some even turn to substance abuse. However, there are some positive ways to deal with stress.
“I have a stress ball for when I get stressed. I feel like it helps me get out pent-up frustration,” freshman Madison Dalton said.
Time management is also a great way to start. Dedicating parts of the day to specific tasks can be a hassle in itself, but developing a daily routine may be of help.
If punctuality isn’t your thing, fear not. There are many other methods. You could also try the optimistic route and look on the bright side of things. Pessimism only makes stressful situations worse.
Perfectionism can be a barrier that brings on stress at times. When possible, make a rough draft and work from there. Trying to make everything perfect on the first try or at once is overwhelming and nearly impossible.
“When I’m stressed, I like to relax or take a nap. Sometimes you just need to stop and take a break so you don’t burn out,” sophomore Abby Mason said.
Lastly, just take a breather. Piling work on yourself can easily slip you into a stressful frantic. Sometimes you just need to stop altogether to gather your wits before you finish some tasks.
Instead of giving up or procrastinating, try to deal with stress early on so it won’t leave any major lasting effects.