Not only is stress is an unavoidable part of students’ lives here at MV, it can also endanger our lives.

    Monte Vista is a school of diversity; no two students are exactly alike…except for one thing– stress. The real question is, how much stress do students have?

    When asked how much stress they have on a scale from one to ten, students had varied responses:

    “I feel that I have a scale of an 8 on the stress level,” junior Sarah Jackson said. “You have all of the assignments that pile up and procrastination becomes an issue. Also, with extracurriculars, it’s hard to find a balance.”

    “[For me] it depends on the situation,” junior Gina Cuneo said. “Major things like college is a 10. For something like a recent test, it is a 5.”

    Some stress is beneficial; it pushes us to work efficiently at home, school, work, or out and about.

     “There is some good stress like right before I swim [in a meet],” Cuneo said.

    For the most part, it depends on the situation that a student is in that causes more or less stress.

    “It depends on major things like college or choosing classes,” Cuneo said. “I’m more stressed out about things like that.”

    Although long-term worries are frequent stress inducers, long term stress is the worst for both physical and mental health. It can actually cause us to have major health problems as a result.

    “Stress becomes negative when a person faces continuous challenges without relief or relaxation between challenges. As a result, the person becomes overworked and stress-related tension builds. Stress that continues without relief can lead to a condition called distress — a negative stress reaction. Distress can lead to physical symptoms including headaches, upset stomach, elevated blood pressure, chest pain, and problems sleeping….stress also can bring on or worsen certain symptoms or diseases.” (source from webmd.com)

    To relieve my stress I participate in activities that I enjoy. Some students use their hobbies to reduce their stress.

    “I play the guitar. I also like reading fiction books,” Jackson said. “You find that everything stops; you forget about everything else when you have “30 minutes for me” time not for school.”

    Other students create stress-reducing strategies for themselves.

    “I am trying this new stress technique,” junior Hannah Wendlandt said. “You sit in a yoga pose and tap different parts of your body. It seems to be working well right now.”

    If you are feeling overwhelmed, these steps may help you to relieve some of that stress:

1. Work on reducing procrastination. It will only land you further into a deep hole of overwhelming work that continues to pile up.

2. Exercise! Do some physical activity that keeps you feeling happy. The endorphins from exercise cause you to feel better, think better, and live better.

3. Find a good hobby. If you do something that interests you, you will feel happier doing things that you enjoy. Even when there are some things that have to be done that may not be enjoyable, your hobby can help keep you looking forward to those moments in life.

4. Do everything in moderation. Do not overdo anything. Life is all about a “Fine Balance” that cannot sway too much to one side or the other.

5. Keep a positive outlook on life! Don’t think of the glass as half empty; thinking positively helps you to live positively and with less stress 🙂

    The sooner you can figure out your major stressors and are able to eliminate them, the healthier you will be.