Students Talk About Stress

So exams have begun their reign over us, bringing the student stress levels higher than ever. I spoke with a variety of my classmates about their stress and found that the cause of anxiety among them was unsurprisingly similar.

It’s not news hearing a SAS student complain about being overwhelmingly stressed– in fact, it’s almost developed into our automatic greeting. The immediate answer to “how are you doing” is an energyless “I’m so tired.” Interviewing these seven students proved to me that exhaustion has become the standard. Personally, I have no experience with other high schools, but numerous classmates have admitted that our school has been the most stressful for them. When further questioned, they all came to the consensus that this abundance of stress comes from the culture created and maintained by the students here. Whether the competition to score high test grades or to join more impressive honor societies is beneficial in propelling students to succeed or not, it is evident that stress is doing more harm than good for both the mental and physical health of the students.

Nobody I spoke to has a proposition to reduce this stress-enhancing culture, and to be honest, an end to the tension seems out of the question; in the end, we are the conductor of our own stress. That said, the students provided helpful tips on studying and organization.

Though it was a little disheartening to hear of how negatively stress is affecting my peers, it’s important to keep in mind that in any circumstance in which we are challenged, it’s only natural to feel pressured. Hopefully, after exams, all of this stress will be rewarded.