Stress: What’s a High Schooler to do?

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Alec Thomas

Looming problems lurk in the halls of Whitney Young. Not the creatures who lurks in the maze- they aren’t even  physical forces. What I am referring to are the problems of stress and anxiety. Almost all of the students I interviewed, including those mentioned in this article, say that they all have, at times, had to deal with anxiety or stress in some form or another.

Avery Norman ‘19 says a major source of stress and anxiety for her is test-taking. “Often, I feel like the only way for me to deal with anxiety in the moment is to just deal with it- to grin and bear it.” However, Avery says that the optimum way to deal with stress and anxiety is to have a positive support system, and to go to therapy. Jordan Scheble ‘19 says that she deals with guilt-based anxiety, and that she deals with it by putting the sources of her anxiety into perspective. Some students use other ways to cope with anxiety and stress. Craig Johnson ‘20 says he uses a stress ball to deal with his stress and anxiety, and recommends that others dealing with these issues do the same.

Most importantly, you should always bear in mind that you are never alone. Someone else is dealing with anxiety, just like you- and if you ever feel like your stress and anxiety are getting to a point where they are just overwhelming, it is always good and important to confide in a trusted friend, authority figure, or a therapist. In the words of Jordan Scheble ‘19, “You are more than what you’re going through.”