With the beginning of the second semester and schedule changes that have left some Grizzlies caught off guard, the last thing students need is to be pent up with stress. For those dealing with overwhelming feelings, there are multiple stress relieving methods for students.
“The cause of my stress is each class has a monster number of assignments to turn in, while already having my everyday day events like track and soccer practice and some teachers aren’t willing to give me extra time to get the work done,” junior Adan Monganez said.

One of the most popular methods to de-stress is simple: listen to music. Listening to music releases dopamine, the “feel-good hormone,” which activates the brain’s pleasure system. In short, it makes people happy. A positive to using music to de-stress is the ability to listen while doing work, which is handy for those who might be overwhelmed with schoolwork.

“To de-stress from school… I listen to music and workout because it’s like while running I feel the wind on your face making me feel so free, and working out lifting weights slamming them on the floor helps me loosen up,” Monganez continued.

Alternatively, exercising is a healthy way to alleviate stress from the day-to-day. Similar to music, it releases feel-good endorphins that can ease stress, depression and anxiety. According to The Hill, people who exercise regularly are at least 30% happier than those who don’t. However, while exercising can be a nice break from schoolwork, it’s not always encouraged. It’s proven that exercising too much can lead to injury, exhaustion or depression, so it would be best to make sure to exercise the proper amount for each individual.
“To de-stress from school I hang out with my friends and they help me a lot when it comes to stress because their energy makes me de-stress,” freshman Victoria Alvarez said.
Another stress relieving activity is hanging out with loved ones. Spending time with friends or family can help in multiple ways. It can distract one’s brain from schoolwork and it can make the brain immensely happier. It also helps if the student needs someone to rant to. If a student is ever feeling stressed, they can go to their school counselor and talk with them, but some students think that there is room for improvement from the school to better help student’s stress level.

“I think the teachers can listen to their students more or make deadlines more flexible, because I have teachers [where] it’s this [deadline] or nothing,” freshman Melissa Habibi said.

Conveniently, a campaign “Let’s Face It. Together.” was launched by SMUSD for students that offer help to improve student’s mental health. For more information, check out The Silvertip’s Community efforts to bring a new mental health campaign for SMUSD students.
While school is a priority, students also have to prioritize their well-being. With a new mental health campaign and a list of coping skills, well wishes are brought for the remainder of the school year.