Halfway through my senior year, I, along with the rest of my class, am wading through a sea of college and scholarship applications, attempting to decide what to do with the rest of my life, and worrying about leaving everything I know. I’ve been through the typical nights of stress-induced panic followed by despair that will inevitably end with a calming binge-watching session with Netflix. Because I never learned ways to cope with stress, I am unable to manage it at times, resulting in these scrambled and ineffective Netflix nights.

It is difficult for many teens, including myself, to ask for help. We here at La Salle know that teachers are available for help in classes, however we also need to be aware of the counseling help available when we feel stressed or overwhelmed. I believe that we need more instruction on ways to cope with stress, because believe it or not there will be times in life more stressful than high school (such as college), and we need to know how to deal with it. We need to learn how to deal with stress on our own, and the first step is more advice on this by teachers, counselors, and staff.

Much of the stress teens experience, including myself, is self placed. Especially at such a high performing academic school, students push themselves to be the very best. This kind of stress is often too much for students, and may even backfire, sending the student into a downward spiral. Though not all stress is preventable, students need more check in’s from teachers, parents, and staff, as well as reassurance that mental health comes first. With more school involvement, this kind of stress could decrease.

In addition to helping students manage stress, students will also perform better in school, according to a report by The Washington Post, able to focus on scholastics instead of their struggles with stress.

La Salle and all schools need to be taking more steps to help students find healthy strategies to manage and reduce stress levels, as well as reinforcing the idea of a safe area where students are free to voice their struggles and find an outlet.

I’m not saying we shouldn’t be stressed, because there will always be something to worry about. I would suggest that schools, specifically fast paced, college prep schools like La Salle, should make a larger investment in ensuring students’ mental health. As a result, teachers, students, and administration will all be happier and healthier.

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What do you think needs to be done to help students manage stress? Let us know in the comments below!