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End Of Semester Stress: How to Keep Up During the Most Stressful Times of Year

thepurpleonion

By Niya Miller

The end of a semester is known for being stressful for both students and teachers. This time of year can be so stressful due to final tests, projects, presentations, and papers. But this is only one part of the workload students have to deal with: along with school, almost every student here is involved in some kind of extracurricular activity. Many students work or have responsibilities around their houses or neighborhoods. On top of that, many different sicknesses are spreading like crazy, and causing many to miss days or even weeks of school.  All of this tends to stack up at the end of the year, with a final in most classes being due, stress and other emotions caused by the holiday season, extracurriculars taking up valuable time, and it being a very busy time in the workplace. 

How do upperclassmen handle stress? Junior Anna Prosise talks about how she avoids burnout and stress; “I normally try and get all my stuff done as soon as possible so it doesn’t pile up. Being so involved with extracurriculars and other things outside of school can get in the way of me completing my work if I let it add up.” Anna is involved in band, jazz band, softball, tennis, FCA, choir, musical, and Comanche-Dewitt Coalition. 

Junior Adam Wilke says he manages by “making sure I set schedules for when I'm going to work on stuff. Like I have big papers due in a couple classes, and so I’ll work on those for around 30 minutes at a time, then take a break, and do stuff like that. And also making sure you have breaks in between is important so you’re not just overloaded with information and then it’s not as easy to do stuff.” Having a set schedule for yourself helps by giving you a place to start and giving yourself breaks to relax and do something you actually enjoy instead of studying. Adam is involved in cross country, band, theater, FFA, choir, youth group, track, and National Honors Society when he’s not at school.

Senior Lily Hartley talks about how she manages, saying: “I just take breaks every now and then from doing schoolwork, and then making sure I get enough space in between everything that I’m doing. It’s so important to focus on yourself and your mental health while still doing schoolwork and stuff like that.” Lily is involved in National Honors Society, band, and volleyball. Instead of just doom-scrolling on your phone, it’s better to do something you enjoy but still needs to be thought about instead of rotting your brain. Listening to music, exercising, making art, and spending time with your family, friends, or even your pets is a great way to relax and get your mind off homework. 

“Music is something that helps boost my mental health. Playing music, listening to music, all of the above. Generally, when I’m doing it for mental health I’ll go to like piano, guitar, or organ, something that’s more calming,” says senior Brady Herington, “Do things for fun, not necessarily for benefit.” Brady is in band, jazz band, theater, National Honors Society, and went to All-State for band. 

“I like to exercise. I prioritize exercising, most days of the week, and also staying organized is a big thing for me. It helps me to make lists, planning ahead of time, just so that so much doesn’t come down on me at one time,” says Chemistry teacher and Girls’ Cross Country Coach Mrs. Moulton. Moving your body is great for self-care because it gets you out of your bed, gives your brain a break, and can get you off of your phone and away from your screens. 

Senior Laura Martens says that when she gets overwhelmed, she takes time for herself.  “I try to give myself breaks whenever I can. I know my mental health is getting bad when I start panicking and telling myself I don’t have time for breaks. I think one of the best decisions I ever made was starting therapy. I mainly go when I’m starting to stress out more than usual. I’ll go during the school day and I just enjoy the car ride by myself and I see it as a way to take a break without feeling guilty or selfish.” Laura is involved in choir, chamber choir, theater, cheer, dance, National Honors Society, speech, student council, and is the senior editor for the Purple Onion. Therapy isn’t something people love to talk about, but it is a very helpful tool for anyone struggling. It’s not embarrassing to ask for help when you need it.

“Make sure to get enough sleep, and drink water. And snacks. You’re teenagers, you need lots of sugar to keep you going,” Mr. Greubel says. Getting a full night's sleep, eating enough, and staying hydrated seem like obvious things, but when it feels like you’re buried in homework and deadlines, it can easily slip your mind. If you’re tired, thirsty, hungry, and stressed, things almost never end well. Although short-term replacements like coffee and energy drinks can be a temporary solution, it’s not a good idea to rely on caffeine. 

A lack of sleep and proper self-care can lead to a less-than-perfect immune system, which isn’t what you want when you have tests on top of tests at school. Missing school because of sickness can be unavoidable, but teachers do try to help you when you communicate with them. 

“Communication is going to be key if you’re absent. Communicating with those teachers, whether it’s through email or a stop in face-to-face, and using that time wisely while you are at school, during quest and before or after school, or whatever time you have set up with that teacher to get caught up,” Mrs. Moulton says. Although it’s not ideal, if you communicate with your teachers it is possible to keep up while you are at home. 

“If you’re at that sickness level where you have to be at home but you can still be working, stay off your phone and get caught up and get done what you can get done. There’s some times where, you know, you feel like you're on your deathbed, so obviously you aren’t gonna get any work done. If you can be on your phone screwing around, then you can be studying,” says Mr. Greubel. It is so important to keep a good balance between school and taking care of yourself so you can actually get better and back before you dig yourself into an even deeper hole. 

Ultimately, your teachers are there to help you, whether that means academically or to guide you through tough times and burnout. “I’ve had problems with things or I’m stressed out, but you can talk to your teachers about stuff because they’re more than willing to help you with that. Ask other students, too, that’s very important. I’m very lucky to have my mom who’s also a teacher so I can ask her about stuff, and obviously having friends help with that and you can work together with,” Adam Wilke says. More than likely, they all have been in your place before and know what it’s like. Having friends and peers to talk to can make you realize that you aren’t as alone as you may feel. 

For younger students, this might be the first time they’ve dealt with burnout, stress, seasonal depression, and all the other tough things that come with the end of the semester. Almost everybody around you has gone through something similar. 

“You are not alone. There are far fewer people that don’t have any stress. You are not unusual, everybody’s got baggage, everybody’s got stuff, it’s still going to get to you, but don’t let it feel like you’re isolated or the only one dealing with this stuff. Everybody masks it in their own way,” says Mr. Greubel. “Everyone is there. Everyone has been there. You will get through it, just stay on top of it. Don’t let the work get above you,” Brady agrees. 



With everything going on at this time of year, it’s important to remember that you need to prioritize yourself and your mental health to finish out the semester at your best and keep the momentum going for the rest of the school year. There is an end in sight. “It’s just high school; it doesn’t last forever,” says Laura. 

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