Everybody has experienced some form of stress in their life, whether it’s about a job, family, school, or more. The American Psychological Association conducted a survey in 2020, which showed that 49% of Americans were being negatively affected by stress.

Stress is a normal feeling that people experience from time to time, and there are different types of stress. MedlinePlus gives two great definitions of the two types of stress. Acute stress is short-term and goes away fairly quickly. A situation where a person would experience this type of stress would be during a presentation, an interview for a job, or an argument. Chronic stress lasts for a longer time and is harder to overcome. A common example for high schoolers would be college applications or even financial problems they or a family member are experiencing.

Stress can be very overwhelming. Teens are often stressed about work, responsibilities, friendships, family, and especially college for those graduating. Being able to cope with their stress is important because stress can negatively affect their mood and the effort they put into their work or job.

Senior Davis Walker said, “Swimming helps me cope with my stress.” Simply doing what he loves helps him cope, and similarly, Senior Mason Mester explained, “I listen to music and I sleep.” It seems that it’s the simple things that help students at Morgan cope with their stress, especially for senior Mitchell Maselli, who likes to “watch TV because it relaxes me.”

Health teacher Rachel Lupone said, “I exercise. I’ve always exercised and worked out. I go for walks and get out in nature to get fresh air.” She teaches students here about stress, and when asked for recommendations, she said, “Get outside. I know it sounds silly, but go for a walk and get out with nature. Get away from any phone screen or technology, and just be outside.” Technology is a main source of people’s stress, especially since most people are on their phones, and are being exposed to stress-inducing content. Lots of people are constantly checking their phones as well, which only leads to more stress.

Lots of people have their ways of managing stress, since they have certain things that work for them. Some basic and easy stress-relieving tips from the Mayo Clinic include staying active and healthy. This includes exercise, eating well, and most importantly sleep. Getting enough sleep as a student can be difficult, so they must balance their day so they can get more rest if possible. 

I relieve stress by talking to friends and family who are close to me. Students should relieve stress by doing something they enjoy because it should put their minds in a better place. Completely ignoring the issue, however, can make it worse, so that’s why I recommend talking about it to somebody. Students will benefit by confronting what is stressing them out. There’s no harm in taking breaks from what they are doing. Continuously working on something may lead to more levels of stress, while degrading the quality of their work.