By Armita Rohani
With college applications almost to a close, midterms approaching rapidly, and half of the school year gone by, school has never had a heavier toll. Stress has had a huge impact on all of our lives; whether it has been sending out college applications or studying for a major test, having extracurriculars pile up or trying to boost grades, these last couple of months have been stressful to say the least. If left unchecked, the stress will cause us to do more poorly in school and will shorten our lives, here’s some ways to deal with it:
1. Seek Support. Personally, with 5 AP’s under my belt this year and three high demanding extracurriculars, alongside officer positions, God has been my way of dealing with stress. Matthew 6:27 outlines it clearly: “And which of you, by being anxious can add one hour to their span of life?” Stressing out isn’t going to do anything for you but make it worse; if you believe that God can help you in your life then seek Him out like I did. Matthew 11:28 says “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” However, if religion is not a source of strength for you, seek a peer or adult that you trust who will be there for you. Someone who listens, who is reliable, and always willing to help. You might have a coach, a teacher, or mentor in or out of school. For help looking for support, see your Guidance Counselor or the school’s Social Worker Mrs. Sedita, or our school’s Psychologist Mrs. Kasprzak. You are not alone and no one should deal with stress by themselves.
2. Deep Breathing Exercises Yes, everyone says this, and yes it may be the most common, but it is highly effective. Breathing exercises can help control your heart rate and calm down your breathing so that you expel less carbon dioxide and prevent your blood from becoming too acidic (which would prevent oxygen from being transported, etc). Simply take a deep inhale, followed by a rapid inhale and exhale; repeat a couple of times and its effects will start to kick in.
3. Exercise Physical activity helps release endorphins — the happy hormone — and relieve stress. Not only will it help you live a longer and healthier life and prepare you for any sports seasons, but it can help mitigate stress.
4. Time Management Making sure you are spending your time productively can be a challenge, especially when you have a mountain of things to do. Set aside specific times — when and how long — where you will work on specific tasks throughout the day, and be sure to include break times as well. For instance, say you’re going to spend two hours on homework, take a 20 minute break and then spend an hour studying for your test.
5. Healthy Diet You need to make sure that you’re providing your body a way to cope with the stress, it’s not just your brain taking its toll but the rest of your body as well. Make sure you are eating foods with the right amount of nutrients and vitamins to help your body function well and be able to deal with the damages of stress. A weak body is only going to succumb to the burdens of anxiety, so make sure it has enough nutrients to cope.
