Today, diversity and distinction are championed like never before. Young adults engage in a range of disciplines and passions, hail from myriad cultures and ethnic backgrounds, and identify with all sorts of groups. All of these factors contribute towards the construction of highly individualized identities. However, despite these critical differences, there are far more intrinsic similarities that underlie the Student condition. Students all across the world have experienced the euphoric highs and bottomless lows of the caffeine crash cycle, the torpor of sleep deprivation, and the fanatic one track mind that churns in overdrive to submit assignments on time. The all consuming fear of failure and unfulfilled familial expectations is a timeless one that transcends the walls of any one school or any one country. Yet amidst all of these similarities, the common thread that connects them is that every student, without fail, has at some point in their lives fallen victim to the universal and vicious plight we know as “stress”.
Stress is a recurrent motif written into the global high school narrative. According to Merriam Webster, stress is “a state of mental or emotional strain or tension resulting from adverse or very demanding circumstances”. In the context of the high school experience, in addition to juggling extracurriculars, the added demands of college credit courses, interest clubs, and social lives, the mindset of students in their approaches to stress management only serves to amplify their stress. In recent years, stress has become normalized among adolescents and teens, meaning students do not take enough initiative in addressing their stress by targeting its root causes. Rather, high schoolers have come to accept stress with defeat, viewing it as necessary baggage only manageable through unsustainable coping strategies and escapism.
This trend of higher stress in young adults is pervasive in all aspects of life. According to the American Psychological Association, on a 10-point scale, Americans ages 18-33 scored 5.4 on a 10-point scale gauging stress levels, compared to the national average of 4.9 percent. 52 percent of the survey group reported that stress kept them awake at night and prevented a restful night’s sleep. This alarming survey suggests that there are multiple reasons that underlie its findings. What has catalyzed this increase in stress? In an age of increased mental health awareness and propagation relative to 50 years prior, how is it that abnormally high stress levels in students are more prevalent today? There are a number of potential explanations, ranging from revolutions made in technology and social media, changing family dynamics, generational differences, and economic hardship. Social media perpetuates unrealistic body and health expectations for young adults. Families find it harder and harder to find common ground on a range of issues. Colleges hold extremely high expectations for admittance, and look for multifaceted students skilled in a large variety of disciplines and activities. Compounding debt and disenfranchisement in capitalist economies leaves many individuals stranded after exiting school. These reasons all enhance increasing competitiveness and high standards for success and academic achievement in tertiary education and beyond. Unprecedented developments also exacerbate stress. A research survey conducted by Harvard Medical School reveals that uncertainties and stringent regulations regarding the COVID-19 pandemic have resulted in significantly heightened stress. The changing social, political, and economic landscapes of society have led to an age of intensified stress that students have a difficult time staying afloat in. But while we cannot make stress contributing factors that are out of our control disappear, what we can do is learn useful strategies for stress management and relief.
First, learning how to eliminate unnecessary and toxic influences on your life be it extra courses, an overload of clubs you are uninterested in, or bad friends is vital. Feigning interest in a club, hobby, or friendship can be emotionally and mentally draining, and is highly unsustainable in the long term. A common trigger for stress is the feeling of being overwhelmed with too many things at once. Prioritizing what is important to you by cutting down on what isn’t can help to reduce stress when there is a manageable amount to juggle. Second, partaking in activities known to promote mindfulness and awareness can help to minimize stress. Yoga and meditation encourage controlled breathing and stretching to lower blood pressure and heart rate. Yoga helps to release pent up stress by targeting tightness in the muscles and joints. Physical activity and exercise also alleviate stress by flooding the brain with chemicals like endorphins, which are essential to pain relief, happiness, and decreased feelings of anxiety and depression. Lastly, while it is unfortunate that everyone experiences stress, there is beauty in the fact that you are never alone. Reaching out to a trusted adult, family member, or friend to share your experiences and concerns is important to maintaining good mental and social health. Talking to a classmate about a test and reviewing with them can help decrease stress and increase confidence with the tested material. Spending quality time with family doing activities you enjoy like taking a walk outdoors, playing a fun board game, or even just reminiscing about old times through telling stories can all help to boost your mood and reduce feelings of stress.
The bottom line is that while stress is a phenomenon that accompanies us through the duration of our lives, it doesn’t need to be all consuming. Unhealthy stress levels should not restrict your life and all you hope to achieve. Despite the availability of many online and other resources on fighting stress, stress management is definitely easier said than done. Reducing stress is a gradual process, that may take some trial and error to see which methods work best for you. However, taking the necessary first steps towards reorienting your mindset by incorporating healthy habits into your lifestyle can help you navigate your journey, in turn creating a world where stress doesn’t control you, but you control it.
Works Cited
“Mental Health in the COVID-19 Response: Caring for Ourselves and Our Communities in This Time of Uncertainty.” Harvard Global Health Institute, 3 Aug. 2020, globalhealth.harvard.edu/mental-health-in-the-covid-19-response/.
“Stress in AmericaTM 2020: A National Mental Health Crisis.” American Psychological Association, American Psychological Association, www.apa.org/news/press/releases/ stress/2020/report-october.
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