The loss of sleep and the little energy I have throughout the days of school brings down my ability to enjoy the opportunities STA offers. Stress should be a word in society that is unrelatable, only used when we, as students, need comforting help from others to reassure ourselves. The word “stress” shouldn’t be used as a coping mechanism that fuels students to work through issues. 

There is a constant struggle of finishing the seemingly large amount of homework after a long day of school, sports and other activities. I shouldn’t be debating between which of the two quizzes I should study for, just so I can get that extra hour of sleep. 

Each morning, I immediately realize I still have to go to school that day. This wouldn’t be a problem because STA’s environment generally lets me enjoy school, but the thought of going through another night of not going to sleep until 12:30 a. m. is dreadful. This creates another level of added stress beginning to run through my body. I shouldn’t have to feel these high levels of stress at 7 a.m.  

My thoughts are constantly racing, thinking of ways I can get those last bits of studying or tweaks to my homework while still enjoying conversations with my friends. Walking through the quad each passing period, I hear conversations about the amount of homework each student faces every night. I can relate to what they are saying — I am not alone in the feeling of having so much to do in one day, with so little time. 

Constantly knowing throughout the day the amount of homework I will have that night, with little time makes me feel uneasy. Most nights I come home and don’t even get on my phone after school. I stop talking to my friends and my family while I sit in my room for three to four hours straight to do homework. 

I know these levels of stress are unhealthy. They cause a loss of sleep, a lack of enjoyment during activities, sleep deprivation and more. I need to start motivating myself more to reduce these levels of stress. Once I do this, I know I will be able to focus on enjoying my time with friends. 

Stopping the conversation of stress between my friends and me is one step toward forgetting the weight stress I have. If I stop comparing my stress to how others, I won’t constantly remind myself of how much I have to do. Forgetting about the little time I have or how much I have to do with help me focus more on what’s going on around me. 

Continuing through the school year, I want to enjoy my experience. While I am only a sophomore, my time at STA is going by quickly. I want to use the opportunities STA provides their students and spend time with my friends without thoughts reminding me of everything I need to do. Pushing myself to forget the continuous homework and stopping the conversation of “stress” will start to make a difference in my environment.