Exams, homework assignments, essays, after school sports and activities, work, time with friends – life for high school students can get quite busy. Stress is a normal emotion that arises in these busy seasons of life. Finding both a balance in life as well as developing effective coping mechanisms helps those struggling with managing stress in life.
Stress and anxiety affects both the mind and the body, making it crucial to find ways to keep it at bay. Peters Township High School Guidance Counselor, Mrs. Wolf offers some valuable advice to students who are feeling particularly overwhelmed in life and school recently.
“It is important to do what is best for you; the process requires some trial by error, meaning that sometimes you need to try different things or strategies that fit your learning style until you find the best one,” she said.
There are an abundance of coping strategies out there such as deep breathing, running, meditation, drawing, etc. Mrs. Wolf suggests that students may try a collection of these approaches and find which ones fit their personal needs.
Junior, Sean Serenyi said, “ I cope with stress in life by going outside, especially to play basketball to deal with my stress.”
Exercise has proven to be one of the most effective ways to relieve stress as it releases endorphins and improves mood. By participating in outdoor exercise, it is much more effective in producing positive changes. Mrs.Wolf also has experience with dealing with stress in her personal life and shared with us the effective techniques she has relied on in the past.
“I utilize music and running, primarily. If I can’t do those I default to practicing breathing and using the HeadSpace app for guided meditation,” she said.
Deep breathing is one of the most common skills used when dealing with anxiety. Oftentimes, when under large amounts of stress, one’s breathing speeds up, becomes shallow, or even becomes a challenge to do. Deep breathing exercises such as the 4-7-8 breathing technique can help some people get back on track with their breathing habits and overall lower stress levels. This method works by inhaling for four seconds through the nose, holding that breath in for seven seconds, and exhaling for eight seconds out of the mouth. It has been seen to effectively help in moments of stress to help one recollect themselves. Support is also an important and helpful skill to take advantage of when someone is feeling overwhelmed.
“I turn to my classmates because I know they are going through similar things and face the same challenges as I do,”said Junior, Sean Serenyi.
Stress and anxiety are normal emotions and experiences that every human faces at one point or another in their lives. It is so important to be able to reach out for help if one feels it is needed. Whether that be through a classmate who is taking the same class as you and knows your struggles, or one of Peters Township High School’s Guidance Counselors, help is out there and accessible to any student who needs it. More resources can be found on the Peters Township High School Counseling Newsletter, where they share additional coping strategies and tips on how to manage stress not only in the classroom but also in everyday life.
