Homework, tests, quizzes, finals, sports, and in-class assignments are a few thoughts of what goes through high schoolers minds when they hear school stress. So many of us kids are getting so stressed over school that we can’t just be kids. The stress is affecting our health and attitude. I feel that stress caused by school is not a good thing and we need to draw more attention to it. We need to make more people aware because it is a major thing that affects kids.

Some kids get mentally sick because they are under so much stress. Students have people they can talk to about it but not all students have this or feel that they can do this. Some kids feel that they have no one to turn to and they are left feeling alone. When kids feel alone it can lead to bad things. Stress causes anxiety, depression, substance use problems, sleep problems, pain, and muscle tension. “Parents are right to be worried about stress and their children’s health,” says Mary Alvord, “ a clinical psychologist in Maryland and public education coordinator for the American Psychological Association.” A little stress is a good thing but too much stress can backfire.

School stress causes kids to have missing assignments because they just end up giving up. Time management is a big thing and if kids do not know how to do that it causes even more stress. Students feel so overwhelmed with the workload that is given each week that it impacts their work ethic. The College Health Associations says, “more than 25 percent of students say that stress lowers their grades or ability to finish a course.” I know when I get stressed sometimes I give up on the assignment.  Most of the time teachers do not recognize when students are stressed because the student doesn’t speak up.

When teachers give students quizzes and tests some get super stressed out about it. Teachers say that they should start studying right as they find out about the assessment but even if some students do that they still get stressed. Most students do not get the time they need to comprehend and understand the content properly. The American Test Anxieties Association says, “students who struggle with test anxiety typically fall a half a letter grade below their peers. In addition to academic impacts, test anxiety can affect a student’s mental health, including lowered self-esteem, confidence, and motivation.” While gathering information from many Regis Jesuit students they agree that test anxiety is a major thing. The kids who say they get bad test anxiety say that they second guess themselves on multiple-choice questions. This all relates to students mental health.

Some say that stress is caused by lack of time management and laziness, but evidence shows that no matter how good you manage your time and try students still get stressed over the workload and tests. Anxiety plays a major role in stress and that is not something that just goes away.

Sophomore Erin Callahan says, “school has definitely hindered my mental health and I oftentimes find that during the school year I lack motivation and feel less joy as compared to when we don’t have the pressure of school over the summer I can feel truly happy.”