Pressure to succeed academically and athletically. The need to participate in many clubs and extracurricular activities. The necessity of holding down a part time job to pay for gas and social activities. Waking up well before sunrise and going to sleep well after sunset. Millions of high school students find themselves stressed out constantly.
“Mainly what stresses me out is when I have a lot going on and I don’t have much time to get stuff done. I am stressed out probably once or twice every week,” sophomore Becca Hanes said. Hanes is taking all gifted and AP courses and is a member of the Varsity volleyball team, Key Club, and Spanish Club.
Along with busy schedules, high school students tend to worry about getting a job, getting enough sleep, grades, and what is coming after high school.
“Colleges are seeing a generation of students who appear to be manifesting increased signs of depression, anxiety, perfectionism and stress,” says the 2007 American Academy of Pediatrics report. People seem to ignore the fact that high school students are being pushed to their limits in terms of work load and pressure, while stress is gradually becoming one of the largest problems in high school students.
The majority of students seem to think that stress comes from the high expectations teachers and parents set. Of course every adult would be thrilled to see their child graduate high school with a 4.0 GPA, the president of several highly regarded clubs, and on their way to a well-known college, but do parents realize that at some point they need to shift their mindset from perfectionist to realist? Due to these high expectations, thousands of students put forth large quantities of effort daily on ordinary tasks just to ensure that their future will be better. The result- stress.
So, how do you eliminate all of this negative stress? According to high school counselors, the most effective ways to get rid of stress are to listen to music, laugh, spend time with friends and family, think positively, and learn to become a realist. In addition, managing your time wisely, avoiding pessimists, and exercising on a daily basis tend to decrease stress levels.
Exercise is probably the most well-known stress reliever. “Stress causes the body to produce excess hormones and adrenaline. Exercising can actually help to decrease our adrenaline and help us feel more relaxed and in balance,” says Articlesbase. Out of all of the “quick” solutions to relieving stress, the most helpful long-term method proves to be to become a realist. By knowing what you are capable of and not stressing about the little things, your stress will be reduced.
By Nancy Burkett
Filed under: News
