stress
18 OPINION Sinking under high school
wrapped up in our work that we disregard taking care of ourselves. This does not mean one should abandon their passions, but before stacking one’s schedule and studying to the point one gets little sleep, remember to take some time to relax. High school is a good time to learn what works when we are feeling high-strung or
stress
It’s unsettling to see 15 year-olds crying because they don’t know what college to go to. We’re obsessed with numbersour GPAs and every test grade -as if low grades guarantee our failure. Sacrificing sleep for study guides and extra practice so that we’re running only on caffeine and fear of failure. If this way of thinking seems unhealthy, that may be right, but it is the reality of many high performing students who make up a significant portion of our highperforming school. School is a place of learning, where students discover their passions and get a foundation for their education, but in high school it is also associated with high stress situations and mountains of homework. Though stress gets us going and motivates us to achieve, overtime, it functions a lot like sugar. A little is good and even healthy for us as we map out our lives, but when we experience too much, we burn out. So little has been researched and recognized about the effects of stress on a student’s brain, but the research that
Badge of
Artwork by Mackenzie Cook
MACKENZIE COOK reporter
9. 30. 16
has been done gives an obvious answer: we have to learn when to stop and take a break. According to teenmentalhealth.org, 20 percent of young people are diagnosed with mental illness, and we are ill prepared for this demand. Though genetics make it more likely for some to experience mental disorders than others, high stress can make us all more vulnerable. Stress isn’t just mentally damaging, but physically as well. A recent study by the American Psychological Association found
that long-term stressors that could easily be found in a high school environment have great effects on the body. Of the many potential damages, prolonged stressors can cause musculoskeletal disorders, heart problems and complete exhaustion of the body due to the effects of too much adrenaline and other hormones the brain releases when under stress. In short, stress is not good for us. School is a great opportunity to learn and explore interests, but we can’t get so
DISHONOR
JUNIOR REMARKS ON NEW ID BADGE REQUIREMENTS ALEX WHITE news editor
Not just your average fashion statement, an ID badge is the number one way to pick up all the fly ladies and gents. Who needs pickup lines like “Hey babe are you from Tennessee because you’re the only ten I see” or even the classic “Are you from the moon because your booty is outta this world” when everyone is rocking these dope name tags that enable you to instantly stalk them on all social media platforms and then to casually show up wherever they happen to be “chillin with their besties.” These badges are the optimal way to know who everyone is even when they have been blocking you on twitter for years! They may want to avoid telling you their name like it’s outta style but with a handy dandy badge around their neck it’s unavoidable, no matter how hard they try. These badges work wonders when you see a hottie walking down mainstreet and think to yourself “dang that’s a quality
face.” Now you can just take a quick glance at their prison badge and have not just a first name, but a last name, and it doesn’t get better than that folks. Can you imagine never having to look through all the “Kevin’s” on Instagram again? We now live in a world where “Kevin” is now “Kevin Johnson” and I couldn’t be more stoked. ID badges are the best thing that has happened to this school since the day they took all the edible food out of the cafeteria. ID badges are sleek, chic, and totally cute, they can even turn any laid back “t-shirt and leggings” outfit into a look straight from the runway! But that’s not even the best part! Your new favorite accessory also has a very convenient tracking device in it so you’ll never get lost. By golly these badges have snatched our student body, and make people who aren’t wearing them look like chumps. Disclaimer: no Kevin Johnsons’ were stalked in the writing of this story.
Artwork by Bri Gonzalez
overwhelmed by assignments because there is more room for error. Personal progress is valid progress and, in life, it will pay off just as much as your dedication in high school. Planning for the future is stressed as necessary for our motivation and success, but often it just makes students feel a lack of direction. In the Oxford Journal Social Forces, researchers discovered that only six percent of us end up with our childhood jobs. Though initially disheartening, this isn’t a bad thing. The people who don’t ‘make it’ are still happy. They just discover other job options or passions as they get to college and start their lives. This statistic really shows that whether or not you go to Harvard, become president or make it into pro sports, you can still have a successful and productive life. The most important part of learning to manage stress is learning to accept oneself and one’s choices. We all make mistakes, stumble and fall. This just gives us the opportunity to grow stronger and learn about ourselves, at our own pace.
wrapped up in our work that we disregard taking care of ourselves. This does not mean one should abandon their passions, but before stacking one’s schedule and studying to the point one gets little sleep, remember to take some time to relax. High school is a good time to learn what works when we are feeling high-strung or
stress
It’s unsettling to see 15 year-olds crying because they don’t know what college to go to. We’re obsessed with numbersour GPAs and every test grade -as if low grades guarantee our failure. Sacrificing sleep for study guides and extra practice so that we’re running only on caffeine and fear of failure. If this way of thinking seems unhealthy, that may be right, but it is the reality of many high performing students who make up a significant portion of our highperforming school. School is a place of learning, where students discover their passions and get a foundation for their education, but in high school it is also associated with high stress situations and mountains of homework. Though stress gets us going and motivates us to achieve, overtime, it functions a lot like sugar. A little is good and even healthy for us as we map out our lives, but when we experience too much, we burn out. So little has been researched and recognized about the effects of stress on a student’s brain, but the research that
Badge of
Artwork by Mackenzie Cook
MACKENZIE COOK reporter
9. 30. 16
has been done gives an obvious answer: we have to learn when to stop and take a break. According to teenmentalhealth.org, 20 percent of young people are diagnosed with mental illness, and we are ill prepared for this demand. Though genetics make it more likely for some to experience mental disorders than others, high stress can make us all more vulnerable. Stress isn’t just mentally damaging, but physically as well. A recent study by the American Psychological Association found
that long-term stressors that could easily be found in a high school environment have great effects on the body. Of the many potential damages, prolonged stressors can cause musculoskeletal disorders, heart problems and complete exhaustion of the body due to the effects of too much adrenaline and other hormones the brain releases when under stress. In short, stress is not good for us. School is a great opportunity to learn and explore interests, but we can’t get so
DISHONOR
JUNIOR REMARKS ON NEW ID BADGE REQUIREMENTS ALEX WHITE news editor
Not just your average fashion statement, an ID badge is the number one way to pick up all the fly ladies and gents. Who needs pickup lines like “Hey babe are you from Tennessee because you’re the only ten I see” or even the classic “Are you from the moon because your booty is outta this world” when everyone is rocking these dope name tags that enable you to instantly stalk them on all social media platforms and then to casually show up wherever they happen to be “chillin with their besties.” These badges are the optimal way to know who everyone is even when they have been blocking you on twitter for years! They may want to avoid telling you their name like it’s outta style but with a handy dandy badge around their neck it’s unavoidable, no matter how hard they try. These badges work wonders when you see a hottie walking down mainstreet and think to yourself “dang that’s a quality
face.” Now you can just take a quick glance at their prison badge and have not just a first name, but a last name, and it doesn’t get better than that folks. Can you imagine never having to look through all the “Kevin’s” on Instagram again? We now live in a world where “Kevin” is now “Kevin Johnson” and I couldn’t be more stoked. ID badges are the best thing that has happened to this school since the day they took all the edible food out of the cafeteria. ID badges are sleek, chic, and totally cute, they can even turn any laid back “t-shirt and leggings” outfit into a look straight from the runway! But that’s not even the best part! Your new favorite accessory also has a very convenient tracking device in it so you’ll never get lost. By golly these badges have snatched our student body, and make people who aren’t wearing them look like chumps. Disclaimer: no Kevin Johnsons’ were stalked in the writing of this story.
Artwork by Bri Gonzalez
overwhelmed by assignments because there is more room for error. Personal progress is valid progress and, in life, it will pay off just as much as your dedication in high school. Planning for the future is stressed as necessary for our motivation and success, but often it just makes students feel a lack of direction. In the Oxford Journal Social Forces, researchers discovered that only six percent of us end up with our childhood jobs. Though initially disheartening, this isn’t a bad thing. The people who don’t ‘make it’ are still happy. They just discover other job options or passions as they get to college and start their lives. This statistic really shows that whether or not you go to Harvard, become president or make it into pro sports, you can still have a successful and productive life. The most important part of learning to manage stress is learning to accept oneself and one’s choices. We all make mistakes, stumble and fall. This just gives us the opportunity to grow stronger and learn about ourselves, at our own pace.
