As the school year comes to a close, plenty of students struggle with end of year stress. It could stem from a variety of factors, such as having to study for multiple finals, confirming graduation plans or fighting against burnout. Senior Maureen Baker knows firsthand how taxing the end of the school year can be. “I have a lot of stress about going to college,” Baker said. “It’s the major source of my anxiety.” And teachers deal with stress as well. They have to deal with those burnt out students and deter them from completely giving up on their school work, all while juggling a multitude of paperwork. Their low energy caused by stress has the potential to affect the students, thus increasing the students’ stress levels. |
Here are 8 ways to calm your mind:
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Mooney’s campus minister Susan Trewella understands the effect she has on others, and works to keep her own stress from affecting those around her.
Trewella said, “The end of the year is stressful for me because I want baccalaureate and graduation and all the end of year things for the seniors to go very well. I try very hard not to let it affect my teaching. I turn to meditation and prayer if I know I’m feeling stressed before a class.”
While Trewella may have her own way of curbing stress, most people do not have a clear way of dealing with this strain on their mind, leading to prolonged headaches, a bad mood or a drop in school performance. Of course getting a good amount of sleep and having a nutritious diet to fuel one’s body are important steps to take when trying to alleviate stress, but those are not the only options.
Guidance counselor Dena O’Neill knows of plenty of other options for students to take advantage of to give their mind a break.
“They need to find a healthy outlet,” O’Neill said. “Something that they enjoy doing that doesn’t involve technology. I would suggest exercising, taking a walk, reading a book, doing yoga, going on a hike, hanging out with friends, listening to music, and really scheduling time to do something they enjoy on a regular basis.”
It’s essential to balance all these stress relievers with a positive mindset as well, since thoughts affect mood. Pessimistic thoughts and feelings are not only tiring, but discouraging as well. One easily leads to another, then another, then more, until there is an overwhelming abundance of negativity.
People need to be aware of the energy that they exude, as well as the energy that is being exuded from others around them. If a theme of negativity emerges, that is when it’s time to momentarily take a step back from the root of the issue. This way, the mind and body get a chance to destress rather than trudge through it and suffer from the emotional strain that comes with not acknowledging the issue.
William James, an American philosopher, historian and psychologist, once said, “The greatest weapon against stress is our ability to choose one thought over another.”
So choose what brings forth positive energy. That’s one of the few things in life that people actually have complete control over.
Trewella said, “The end of the year is stressful for me because I want baccalaureate and graduation and all the end of year things for the seniors to go very well. I try very hard not to let it affect my teaching. I turn to meditation and prayer if I know I’m feeling stressed before a class.”
While Trewella may have her own way of curbing stress, most people do not have a clear way of dealing with this strain on their mind, leading to prolonged headaches, a bad mood or a drop in school performance. Of course getting a good amount of sleep and having a nutritious diet to fuel one’s body are important steps to take when trying to alleviate stress, but those are not the only options.
Guidance counselor Dena O’Neill knows of plenty of other options for students to take advantage of to give their mind a break.
“They need to find a healthy outlet,” O’Neill said. “Something that they enjoy doing that doesn’t involve technology. I would suggest exercising, taking a walk, reading a book, doing yoga, going on a hike, hanging out with friends, listening to music, and really scheduling time to do something they enjoy on a regular basis.”
It’s essential to balance all these stress relievers with a positive mindset as well, since thoughts affect mood. Pessimistic thoughts and feelings are not only tiring, but discouraging as well. One easily leads to another, then another, then more, until there is an overwhelming abundance of negativity.
People need to be aware of the energy that they exude, as well as the energy that is being exuded from others around them. If a theme of negativity emerges, that is when it’s time to momentarily take a step back from the root of the issue. This way, the mind and body get a chance to destress rather than trudge through it and suffer from the emotional strain that comes with not acknowledging the issue.
William James, an American philosopher, historian and psychologist, once said, “The greatest weapon against stress is our ability to choose one thought over another.”
So choose what brings forth positive energy. That’s one of the few things in life that people actually have complete control over.