Stress is Common Trend with Students

JENNIFER PIERCE
Staff Writer
Between AP classes, clubs, sports, family and friends, high school students are finding that stress is unavoidable.
“Handling stress is not discussed enough. There’s no class to help cope with stress,” said counselor Jacqueline Herrera.
The school nurse, Anita Man, sees symptoms of stress everyday, ranging from stomachaches to migraines, although not always specified as stress related by the students.
Herrera and Man both said that the causes of stress are everywhere, from peers and relationships to academic pressure or financial difficulties. They encourage students to confront the issues that are causing them stress and make an attempt to solve them. Herrera suggests that students take a few minutes everyday to relax.
For some students, however, school takes priority over relaxation.
“Once it’s towards the [end] of first quarter, I might start to stress more […] with balancing homework and extracurricular activities,” said senior Kathleen Chen.
One of the biggest issues among high school students is time management. Herrera reminds students who are struggling to prioritize that they should come and consult their counselors. Time management also correlates closely with lack of sleep, which is a major stress factor.
Herrera strongly recommends eight hours of sleep. Man explained that if a student is exhausted, they are easily irritated. For a good night’s rest, she recommends not eating heavily before sleeping and to avoid highly caffeinated drinks like coffee and soda.
If students need help relieving stress, both Man and Herrera suggest talking to the counselors, the school psychologist and teachers. Herrera explained that all counselors are required to keep any student’s health and problems confidential, unless it poses a threat to the well-being of other students.
“Come in, [because] that’s what we’re here for,” said Herrera.