Racing The Cycle of Stress: A Stop To The Constant Struggle

Sleep is one of the most important things that fuel students during their day, but the amount of stress many face brings the loss of this needed sleep.

Racing+The+Cycle+of+Stress%3A+A+Stop+To+The+Constant+Struggle

by Becca Speier, Photo Editor

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.