The transition of summer break to the new school year 2025-2026 can be overwhelming, especially the routine resetting to a new one. Depending on what grade a student is in, the year could go differently because of the goals to reach. Many BBCHS students can experience stress from their personal lives overlapping with school; oftentimes they don’t realize the severity of it until later on. It’s important to acknowledge stress itself while also learning how to manage it in healthy ways.
Some individuals may be surprised when they learn the difference between healthy stressors and unhealthy stressors; healthy stress is typically meant be short-term to motivate you for the sake of energizing. On the other hand, unhealthy stressors are the complete opposite, and the stress starts to be become more long-term that it can cause your mental health to take affect. Unhealthy stressors can be something students are experiencing now that school is in session, and unfortunate circumstances could potentially occur during those days.
When asked about how the school year has been so far, senior Lilli Balk said “It’s been good, It’s senior year so it feels bittersweet for me.” When asked if they had felt any stress, Balk replied, “Yes in a way. I feel like I experience stress in various ways because there are personal issues happening in my life, whether it’s [during] school or outside of it.”
Acknowledging the potential causes of stress can be the first step into managing it so you know what type of resource you might need. Students might not know where the resources could be to help with the stress they carry. Environment can be crucial to a student’s feeling of relaxation whether it might be an activity or the type of resources to seek. “I feel like whenever I feel stressed, I pick an activity that I enjoy, whether it’s watching my favorite movies or just drawing … communicating what I’m stressed about to someone else so they can provide support or just open arms is also something I do when I really need it” Balk said.
Within the school, BBCHS does provide resources in case a student needs to talk with someone. “It is very common for a student to come meet with me to discuss personal issues they have,” BBCHS counselor Ellen Schumer said. “Usually the topic falls under relationships in general like … with their friends or teachers, if they don’t feel comfortable with what has been happening.” Counselors are one of the professionals students can talk to, because their role is mainly to provide guidance and support. Social workers are another important resource within the school, specializing with issues students are experiencing both at school and outside. Your counselor can refer
There are things to be mindful of especially when you are feeling stressed. “I would tell students not to keep overloading yourself with stress and to always talk to someone who’s in your life,” Schumer explained. It can be difficult to talk to someone because of the worry of what they think, but it’s important to prioritize yourself and your mental health. When asked about what advice to say for students struggling to cope with stress, Schumer said, “Try to use mindfulness and don’t overthink; it won’t be easy … But it’s possible.” Just taking a moment for yourself to take a breath is helpful. Think to yourself and try to debrief how the issues that are stressful can be managed in small steps.
It’s okay to feel overwhelmed by what is happening in your life, but don’t feel like it’s something that can’t be helped; there will always be help available to improving your well-being within our community. Remember you are not alone and taking care of yourself is essential it’s encouraged to prioritize yourself in these situations.
