As we close the books on another summer, we open up our textbooks for school, tests, quizzes, exams, homework, and stress.

A program called “Confronting Teen Stress, Meeting the Challenge in Baltimore City” asked teens in Baltimore about their stress. It showed that 68% of teens feel school is one of the top five factors of their stress. Also, it showed 25% of teens refuse to deal with their stress. A study at NYU says substance abuse is a common strategy for coping with stress.   

An article titled “Dealing with Stress: 16 PROVEN Ways to Relieve Stress” shows ways proven to help people deal with stress. One is taking a break and doing something you enjoy.

The article “Dealing with Stress: 16 PROVEN Ways to Relieve Stress” also says music is a great thing to help with stress. Music can be calming, and create happiness. The University of Nevada explains in an article titled “The Power of Music To Reduce Stress” that upbeat music can make people feel more optimistic and positive. The article also states that calming music can reduce and release stress.   

The website Ask a Biologist has an article titled “Can Music Reduce Stress?” that shows a study relating stress and music. The study showed women who listened to music felt less stressed than those who didn’t. This shows that in women just listening to music can release stress.

According to an online article titled “12 Ways to Reduce Stress with Music: Fill Your Life with Music that Reduces Daily Stress” there are many way music can help deal with stress. These ways include listening to music, singing to it, dancing, and playing music.  

Eamon Schiro, an Arrowhead junior is in his second year as a part of Broadway Company says, “Broadway Company gives me a creative outlet that I can let go where everyone accepts me.”

According to “Teen Health” Students often stress over not fitting in. So, whether it’s a club or group of friends, it’s good to be surrounded by people who accept you. This will help to let go of the social stress of not fitting in.     

Paige Schaber, a junior running her third year on the cross country team, says, “Cross country helps me deal with my stress by giving me a place to not have to deal with my stress at that time. Also, I feel running gives me time to solve the problems I’m stressed over.”

Exercise not only improves your physical health but your mental health as well. Exercising leads to our brain releasing dopamine. Dopamine is proven to improve someone’s mood and make them happier. The happier you are the less stressed you may feel.

So, like the article  “Dealing with Stress: 16 PROVEN Ways to Relieve Stress” says, take a break for school. Join a club, the year has just begun so there is plenty of time. Work on a hobby. The whole point of an after school activity is to not solely focus on school related things outside of school.  

There is no way to deny school is hard. There is no promise that this school year will be stress free. But, there are many different, healthy ways to make this school year a lot more tolerable. Whatever the stress reliever it doesn’t matter. Just like Paige Schaber says “We all deal with stress in different ways.”